Power save method, access point device, and station device

ABSTRACT

A power save method, an AP device and an STA device are provided. According to whether power save is allowed in a current TXOP and whether a station STA is newly added in an operation object identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP, the AP device respectively sets a TXOP power save indication of each frame, and when the TXOP power save indication of the current frame is power save allowed, the STA device determines whether to enter the Doze state according to a judgment result for a doze condition. The adoption of the method and the device can expand the power save application range, and enhance the power save effect.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/466,567, filed May 8, 2012, which is a continuation of InternationalPatent Application No. PCT/CN2011/082357, filed Nov. 17, 2011, whichclaims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201110034355.9, filedFeb. 1, 2011, Chinese Patent Application No. 201110046716.1, filed Feb.25, 2011, Chinese Patent Application No. 201110063511.4, filed Mar. 16,2011, Chinese Patent Application No. 201110122719.9, filed May 12, 2011,and Chinese Patent Application No. 201110162550.X, filed Jun. 16, 2011,all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wireless communication technologies,and in particular, to a power save method, an access point (AccessPoint, AP for short) device, and a station (Station, STA for short)device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For a multiple-input multiple-output (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output,MIMO for short) wireless communication system, in a transmit opportunity(Transmit Opportunity, TXOP for short), not all STA devices in a basicservice set (Basic Service Set, BSS for short) need to receive data.Therefore, in a wireless communication system, a power save method isadopted, to enable an STA device receiving no data in the current TXOPto enter a Doze state. The STA device in the Doze state disables its ownreceiver, thereby reducing power consumption.

Currently, a power save method for a wireless communication system isthat: an AP device sends an operation object identifier and a no TXOPpower save indication (No TXOP Power Save indication, No TXOP PSindication for short) to an STA device. The operation object identifieris used for indicating one or more STA devices which need to perform anoperation. The no TXOP power save indication may be yes or no, in which,if the no TXOP power save indication is no, it indicates that an STAdevice in this BSS is allowed to perform a power save operation in thecurrent TXOP; if the no TXOP power save indication is yes, it indicatesthat the STA device in this BSS is forbidden to perform the power saveoperation in the current TXOP. An effective interval indicated by the noTXOP power save indication is the current TXOP, and therefore, if theSTA device enters the Doze state, the STA device maintains the Dozestate until this TXOP ends, and when this TXOP ends, the STA device isrestored to an Awake state. In a power save method of currentcommunication standards, No TXOP PS of all frames of the same TXOP isset to the same value, and the STA device having a function of enteringthe Doze state performs judgment only according to No TXOP PS of a firstframe of a TXOP. Specifically, in a TXOP, after receiving the firstframe, the STA device having the function of entering the Doze statejudges whether power save is allowed to be performed in this TXOPaccording to the No TXOP PS of the first frame. If it is not allowed,the foregoing the STA device maintains the Awake state in the entireTXOP. If it is allowed, the foregoing the STA device judges whether toenter the Doze state according to a doze condition in all frames fromthe first frame to a last frame of this TXOP.

It is well-known that, the STA having the function of entering the Dozestate refers to that the STA supports the function of entering the Dozestate and the function is in an enabling state. The STA supporting thefunction of entering the Doze state may enable this function in a periodof time, and disables this function in other period of time; that is,the STA may have the function of entering the Doze state in a period oftime, and have no function of entering the Doze state in other period oftime. Corresponding signaling in the prior art enables an STA to reportinformation about whether the STA currently has the function of enteringthe Doze state to an AP. The existing power save method is adopted, andwhen no TXOP power save indication carried in the first frame of TXOP isno, it indicates that all STA devices in the BSS which are not includedin the operation object identifier of the frame may enter the Dozestate; in this case, generally all the STA devices in the BSS having thefunction of entering the Doze state perform judgment according to thedoze condition, and if the doze condition is satisfied, the STA devicesenter the Doze state. Therefore, for a multi-user MIMO (Multi-User MIMO,MU-MIMO for short) mode, the adopted existing power save method is onlyapplicable to a case that the operation object identifier in the firstframe of TXOP includes all the STA devices having the function ofentering the Doze state related to the TXOP, and for a single-user MIMO(Single-User MIMO, SU-MIMO for short) mode, the method is onlyapplicable to a case that an operation object identifier of each frameof the TXOP only indicates not more than one STA device having thefunction of entering the Doze state, so that power can be saved onlyunder a few situations, the application range is small, and thereforethe power save effect is undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a power save method, an APdevice and an STA device, which are used for solving drawbacks in theprior art, expanding the power save application range, and enhancing thepower save effect.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a power save method,which includes:

according to whether power save is allowed in a current transmitopportunity TXOP and whether an identifier of a station STA is newlyadded in an operation object identifier of a subsequent frame of eachframe of the current TXOP, setting a TXOP power save indication of eachframe, in which the STA is an STA having the function of entering theDoze state; and

sending one or more frames of the current TXOP to the STA device, sothat when the TXOP power save indication of the current frame indicatesthat power save is allowed, the STA device determines whether to enterthe Doze state according to a judgment result for a doze condition, inwhich the STA device is an STA device having the function of enteringthe Doze state.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a power save method,which includes:

obtaining a current frame of a current TXOP, in which the current frameincludes a TXOP power save indication set by an AP device according towhether power save is allowed in the current TXOP and whether anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of a subsequent frame, and the STA is an STA having thefunction of entering the Doze state; and

when the TXOP power save indication of the current frame indicates thatpower save is allowed, determining, by the STA device, whether to enterthe Doze state according to a judgment result for a doze condition, inwhich the STA device is an STA device having the function of enteringthe Doze state.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides an AP device,which includes:

a setting module, configured to, according to whether power save isallowed in a current transmit opportunity TXOP and whether an identifierof a station STA is newly added in an operation object identifier of asubsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP, respectively set aTXOP power save indication of each frame, in which the STA is an STAhaving the function of entering the Doze state; and

a sending module, configured to send one or more frames of the currentTXOP to the STA device, so that when the TXOP power save indication ofthe current frame indicates that power save is allowed, the STA devicedetermines whether to enter the Doze state according to a judgmentresult for a doze condition, in which the STA device is an STA devicehaving the function of entering the Doze state.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides an STA device,in which the STA device is an STA device having a function of entering aDoze state, and includes:

an obtaining module, configured to obtain a current frame of a currenttransmit opportunity TXOP, in which the current frame includes a TXOPpower save indication set by an access point AP device according towhether power save is allowed in the current TXOP and whether anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of a subsequent frame, in which the STA is an STA having thefunction of entering the Doze state; and

a control module, configured to, when the TXOP power save indication ofthe current frame indicates that power save is allowed, control the STAdevice to determine whether to enter the Doze state according to ajudgment result for a doze condition.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides a power savemethod, which includes:

respectively obtaining, by a station STA device, a current frame and apreset frame of a current transmit opportunity TXOP, in which thecurrent frame includes a subsequent terminal STA indication and a TXOPpower save indication, and the preset frame includes an operation objectidentifier;

when the TXOP power save indication of the current frame is allowed, theoperation object identifier of the preset frame does not include anindication for this STA device, and the subsequent STA indication of thecurrent frame is that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently, entering, by the STA device, a Doze state, in which theSTA is an STA having the function of entering the Doze state; and theSTA device is an STA device having the function of entering the Dozestate.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides an STA device,in which the STA device is an STA device having a function of entering aDoze state, and includes:

an obtaining module, configured to respectively obtain a current frameand a preset frame of a current transmit opportunity TXOP, in which thecurrent frame includes a subsequent STA indication and a TXOP power saveindication, and the preset frame includes an operation objectidentifier;

a control module, configured to, when the TXOP power save indication ofthe current frame is allowed, the operation object identifier of thepreset frame does not include an indication for this STA device, and thesubsequent STA indication of the current frame is that no identifier ofa station STA is newly added subsequently, control the STA device toenter a Doze state, in which the STA is an STA having the function ofentering the Doze state.

A power save method includes:

setting a power save indication of a current data frame, in which thepower save indication is used for indicating that an STA receiving thecurrent data frame is capable of allowing power save;

sending the current data frame in a current transmit opportunity TXOP,so that the STA receiving the current data frame determines whether toenter a Doze state according to a judgment result for a doze condition,and a power save indication included at least one data frame sent beforethe current data frame is sent in the TXOP is used for indicating thatthe STA is forbidden from performing power save,

in which the STA device is an STA device having the function of enteringthe Doze state.

An access point device, with a function of entering a Doze state,includes:

a setting unit, configured to set a power save indication of a currentdata frame, in which the power save indication is used for indicatingthat an STA receiving the current data frame is capable of allowingpower save;

a sending unit, configured to send the current data frame in a currenttransmit opportunity TXOP, so that the STA receiving the current dataframe determines whether to enter a Doze state according to a judgmentresult for a doze condition,

in which, the setting unit sets the current frame so that a power saveindication included at least one data frame sent before the current dataframe is sent in the TXOP is used for indicating power save forbidden.

It can be known from the technical solutions that, according to theembodiments of the present invention, TXOP power save indications ofdifferent frames in the same TXOP may be different, and only when twoconditions that no identifier of a station STA is newly added and powersave is allowed in the current TXOP are both satisfied, a TXOP powersave indication of the frame or a subsequent frame of the frameindicates power save allowed; only when the TXOP power save indicationof the current frame indicates that power save is allowed, an STA judgesa doze condition, and determines whether to enter the Doze stateaccording to a judgment result. Alternatively, the AP device sends asubsequent STA indication to the STA device, and when the TXOP powersave indication is allowed, the subsequent STA indication is that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently and theoperation object identifier of the preset frame does not include anidentifier of this STA device, the STA device enters the Doze state.Therefore, the method does not require the operation object identifierin the first frame of the TXOP to include all STA devices related to theTXOP, thereby expanding the application range of the power save method,and enhancing the power save effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 1of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 2of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 3of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 4of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an AP device according toembodiment 5 of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an STA device according toembodiment 6 of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 7of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 8of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 9of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 10of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of an STA device according toembodiment 11 of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

When a No TXOP PS indication indicates that power save is allowed, adoze condition used for judging whether to enter a Doze state mayinclude any one or any combination of three conditions, and when one ofthe conditions is satisfied, it is judged that the doze condition issatisfied, in such case, an STA device enters the Doze state; when oneor more conditions included by the doze condition are unsatisfied, it isjudged that the doze condition is unsatisfied, in such case, the STAdevice maintains an Awake state.

It should be further noted that, when a No TXOP PS indication indicatesthat power save is allowed, a doze condition used for judging whether toenter a Doze state may include any one or any combination of threeconditions, and when one of the conditions is satisfied, it is judgedthat the doze condition is satisfied, in such case, an STA device entersthe Doze state; when one or more conditions included by the dozecondition are unsatisfied, it is judged that the doze condition isunsatisfied, in such case, the STA device having the function ofentering the Doze state maintains the Awake state; if the STA devicedoes not support the ability to enter the Doze state, the STA devicealways maintains the Awake state, and the foregoing doze condition doesnot need to be judged. For ease of description, the STA in the followingdescription that “the STA device enters the Doze state” refers to an STAhaving the function of entering the Doze state; that is, that “the STAdevice enters the Doze state” definitely implicitly illustrates that theSTA is an STA having the function of entering the Doze state.

Specifically, in MU-MIMO mode, the three conditions specifically includethe following content. Condition 1: when an operation object identifierof a preset frame does not include an indication for the STA devicewhich received the preset frame, the STA device enters the Doze state.Condition 2: when an operation object identifier of a preset frameincludes an indication for the STA device, and an indication of aspatial multiplexing stream number corresponding to the STA is 0, theSTA device enters the Doze state. Condition 3: when an operation objectidentifier of a preset frame includes an indication for the STA device,and the STA receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0,the STA device enters the Doze state. In SU-MIMO mode, the threeconditions specifically include the following content. Condition 1: whena partial association identifier (association identifier, AID for short)indicated in the operation object identifier of the preset frame isdifferent from a partial AID of the STA device which received the presetframe, the STA device enters the Doze state. Condition 2: when thepartial AID indicated in the operation object identifier of the presetframe is the same as the partial AID of the STA device, but the currentframe is not sent to the STA, the STA device enters the Doze state.Condition 3: when an operation object identifier of a preset frameincludes an indication for the STA device, and the STA receives moredata frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device enters theDoze state.

If an existing power save method is adopted, No TXOP PS of each frame inthe same TXOP is completely the same. For the MU-MIMO mode, when the NoTXOP PS indication of the first frame indicates that power save isallowed, and if an STA device not included in the first frame is relatedin the operation object identifier of a subsequent frame of the TXOP,and because the STA device has entered the Doze state after receivingthe first frame, an indication of the subsequent frame cannot beresponded. However, for the SU-MIMO mode, when the No TXOP PS indicationof the first frame indicates that power save is allowed, and if the STAdevice indicated by the subsequent frame of the TXOP is different fromthe STA device indicated by the first frame, and because the STA deviceindicated by the subsequent frame has entered the Doze state afterreceiving the first frame, an indication of the subsequent frame cannotbe responded.

With respect to the foregoing drawback, an embodiment of the presentinvention proposes a power save method, and in the same TXOP, differentNo TXOP PS may be set for different frames; specifically, according towhether a communication system where an AP is located allows power savein the current TXOP and whether an identifier of a station STA is newlyadded in the subsequent frame of the TXOP, the AP sets No TXOP PS ofeach frame, and the STA judges whether to enter the Doze state accordingto the No TXOP PS. For details, refer to the following embodiment 1 toembodiment 6.

It should be noted that, in the following embodiments of the presentinvention, the STA is an STA having the function of entering the Dozestate; and in the embodiments of the present invention, the STA deviceis an STA device having the function of entering the Doze state.However, as described above, the STA device having no function ofentering the Doze state always maintains the Awake state, does not needto judge whether it can enter the Doze state according to the dozecondition, and correspondingly does not need to adopt the method of thepresent invention to enhance the effect of entering the Doze state tosave power.

Further, it can be known according to the description of the foregoingbackground technology that:

the STA being the STA having the function of entering the Doze stateincludes: the STA is an STA having a function of entering the Doze stateand maintaining the Doze state until the current TXOP ends; and

the STA device being the STA device having the function of entering theDoze state includes: the STA device is an STA device having a functionof entering the Doze state and maintaining the Doze state until thecurrent TXOP ends.

That is, when the STA device decides to enter the Doze state, the STAdevice enters the Doze state, and maintains the Doze state until thecurrent TXOP ends. In the following embodiments, that the STA deviceenters the Doze state is the meaning.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 1of the present invention. In embodiment 1 of the present invention, anoperating process of an AP device is taken as an example to illustratethe power save method. As shown in FIG. 1, the method includes thefollowing procedure.

Step 101: According to whether power save is allowed in a current TXOPand whether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in anoperation object identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of thecurrent TXOP, the AP device sets a TXOP power save indication of eachframe.

Step 102: The AP device sends one or more frames of the current TXOP tothe STA device, so that when the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame indicates that power save is allowed, the STA devicedetermines whether to enter the Doze state according to a judgmentresult for a doze condition.

In this step, each frame includes: an operation object identifier of theframe and a TXOP power save indication of the frame.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solution, a specific method forstep 101 is further introduced. In the same TXOP, the TXOP power saveindication of each frame is respectively set by the AP according towhether power save is allowed in the current TXOP and whether anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of the subsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP.Specifically, the AP may adopt two methods to judge whether anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of the subsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP. Afirst method is that: t is judged whether the operation objectidentifiers of the current frame and a frame before the current frameindicate an STA device required to transfer data in all frames after thecurrent frame in the current TXOP, and if yes, it indicates that a newSTA device is not indicated in each of subsequent frames of the currentframe, the condition that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently is satisfied; otherwise, the condition that no identifierof a station STA is newly added subsequently is unsatisfied. A secondmethod is that: it is judged whether the operation object identifier ofthe current frame indicates an STA device required to transfer data inall frames after the current frame in the current TXOP, and if yes, itindicates that a new STA device is not indicated in each of subsequentframes of the current frame, the condition that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently is satisfied; otherwise, thecondition that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently is unsatisfied. Any one of the foregoing methods is adoptedto judge whether an identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently, and a method for setting the TXOP power save indication isthat: when no identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequentlyand power save is allowed in the current TXOP, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame of the current TXOP may be set to powersave allowed; or, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame ofthe current TXOP may also be set to power save forbidden, and the TXOPpower save indication of any frame after the current frame is set topower save allowed. When an identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame may beset to power save forbidden, that is, no matter whether power save isallowed in the current TXOP, as long as an identifier of a station STAis newly added subsequently, the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame may be set to power save forbidden; and, when power saveis not allowed in the current TXOP, no matter whether an identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently, the TXOP power save indicationof the current frame may be set to power save forbidden.

In embodiment 1 of the present invention, the AP device may adoptdifferent settings for TXOP power save indications of different framesin the same TXOP, so that it is possible to set some frames in a TXOP topower save allowed, and the STA device may enter the Doze state in theframes; and the rest of the frames in the same TXOP is set to power saveforbidden, and the STA device may maintain the Awake state in theframes. Only when two conditions that no identifier of a station STA isnewly added and power save is allowed are both satisfied, the AP devicesets the TXOP power save indication of a frame or a subsequent frame ofthe frame to power save allowed, so that the STA device determineswhether to judge the doze condition according to the TXOP power saveindication. Because different TXOP power save indications are set fordifferent frames, and if the operation object identifier of the firstframe does not include all STA devices related to the TXOP, the APdevice may set the TXOP power save indication of the first frame topower save forbidden, and until operation object identifiers of multipleframes from the first frame to the current frame have included all STAdevices related to the TXOP, the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame is set to power save allowed, and therefore the method isstill applicable to a case that the operation object identifier in thefirst frame of the TXOP does not include all STA devices related to theTXOP, thereby expanding the power save application range. Furthermore,in the case that the operation object identifier in the first frame ofthe TXOP does not include all STA devices related to the TXOP, powersave cannot be performed in the TXOP all along by using the existingpower save method, and if the power save method of embodiment 1 of thepresent invention is adopted, the AP sets the TXOP power save indicationof the first frame to power save forbidden, each STA device does notenter the Doze state after receiving the first frame, and until a framewhere the TXOP power save indication indicates that power save isallowed, is received, each STA device judges whether to enter the Dozestate according to the doze condition, thereby enhancing the power saveeffect.

It should be noted that, the foregoing STA newly added subsequentlyrefers to an STA having the function of entering the Doze state; a casethat the present invention needs to avoid is that: if the STA having thefunction of entering the Doze state enters the Doze state in the currentframe, the STA cannot receive data to be sent to the STA itself in asubsequent frame of the current frame in the TXOP, thereby resulting indecrease of communication performance. Accordingly, the embodiment ofthe present invention needs to indicate whether an identifier of astation STA having the function of entering the Doze state is newlyadded subsequently (that is, in a subsequent frame of the current framein the TXOP) in the current frame, thereby ensuring that the STA thathas the function of entering the Doze state and is newly addedsubsequently does not enter the Doze state in the current frameaccording to the indication, and therefore may receive the data to besent to the STA itself in the current frame. However, whether an STAhaving the function of entering the Doze state is newly addedsubsequently does not result in the foregoing case that the presentinvention needs to avoid, and therefore, the embodiment of the presentinvention does not need to indicate whether an identifier of a stationSTA having the function of entering the Doze state is newly addedsubsequently in the current frame, and the setting of each bit relevantto the indication about whether an identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently in the above description and the followingdescription of the present invention is not influenced.

In step 102, the AP device sends one or more frames of the current TXOPto the STA device, so that when the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame indicates that power save is allowed, the STA devicedetermines whether to enter the Doze state according to a judgmentresult for a doze condition. It is easily understood that, here, thedetermining whether to enter the Doze state may be determining whetherto be capable of entering the Doze state in an embodiment.

It is easily understood that, as described in step 102, if the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame indicates that power save isallowed, the STA device determines to enter the Doze state according toa judgment result for a doze condition, and in an embodiment, the STAdevice may enter the Doze state in the current frame; in anotherembodiment, the STA device may not enter the Doze state in the currentframe, but enters the Doze state until a present number of framesreaches.

Additionally, as described above, when the STA device decides to enterthe Doze state, the STA device enters the Doze state, and maintains theDoze state until the current TXOP ends. In the following embodiments,that the STA device enters the Doze state is this meaning.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 2of the present invention. In embodiment 2 of the present invention, anoperating process of an STA device is taken as an example to illustratethe power save method. As shown in FIG. 2, the method includes thefollowing procedure.

Step 201: The STA device obtains a current frame of a current TXOP, inwhich the current frame includes a TXOP power save indication set by anAP device according to whether power save is allowed in the current TXOPand whether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in anoperation object identifier of a subsequent frame.

In this step, the TXOP power save indication of each frame obtained bythe STA device is respectively set by the AP according to whether powersave is allowed in the current TXOP and whether an identifier of astation STA is newly added in an operation object identifier of thesubsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP. Specifically, the APmay adopt two methods to judge whether an identifier of a station STA isnewly added in an operation object identifier of the subsequent frame ofeach frame of the current TXOP. A first method is that: it is judgedwhether the current frame and an operation object identifier before thecurrent frame indicate an STA device required to transfer data in allframes after the current frame in the current TXOP, and if yes, itindicates that a new STA device is not indicated in each of subsequentframes of the current frame, the condition that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently is satisfied; otherwise, thecondition that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently is unsatisfied. A second method is that: it is judgedwhether the operation object identifier of the current frame indicatesan STA device required to transfer data in all frames after the currentframe in the current TXOP, and if yes, it indicates that a new STAdevice is not indicated in each of subsequent frames of the currentframe, the condition that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently is satisfied; otherwise, the condition that no identifierof a station STA is newly added subsequently is unsatisfied. Any one ofthe foregoing methods is adopted to judge whether an identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently, and a method for setting theTXOP power save indication is that: when an identifier of a station STAis newly added subsequently and power save is allowed in the currentTXOP, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame of the currentTXOP may be set to power save allowed; or, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame of the current TXOP may also be set topower save forbidden, and the TXOP power save indication of any frameafter the current frame is set to power save allowed. When an identifierof a station STA is newly added subsequently, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame may be set to power save forbidden, thatis, no matter whether power save is allowed in the current TXOP, as longas an identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently, the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame may be set to power saveforbidden; and, when power save is not allowed in the current TXOP, nomatter whether an identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame may beset to power save forbidden.

Step 202: When the TXOP power save indication of the current frameindicates that power save is allowed, the STA device determines whetherto enter the Doze state according to a judgment result for a dozecondition.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solution, further, when the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame is power save forbidden, theSTA device uses a next frame as a current frame, and returns to step201.

In embodiment 2 of the present invention, TXOP power save indications ofdifferent frames in the same TXOP may be different, and only when twoconditions that an identifier of a station STA is newly added and powersave is allowed are both satisfied, a TXOP power save indication of aframe or a subsequent frame of the frame indicates power save allowed;only when the TXOP power save indication of the current frame indicatesthat power save is allowed, an STA judges a doze condition, anddetermines whether to enter the Doze state according to a judgmentresult. Because different TXOP power save indications are set fordifferent frames, and if the operation object identifier of the firstframe does not include all STA devices related to the TXOP, the TXOPpower save indication of the first frame may be set to power saveforbidden, and until operation object identifiers of multiple framesfrom the first frame to the current frame have included all STA devicesrelated to the TXOP, the TXOP power save indication of the current frameis set to power save allowed, and therefore the method is stillapplicable to a case that the operation object identifier in the firstframe of the TXOP does not include all STA devices related to the TXOP,thereby expanding the power save application range. Furthermore, in thecase that the operation object identifier in the first frame of the TXOPdoes not include all STA devices related to the TXOP, power save cannotbe performed in the TXOP all along by using the existing power savemethod, and if the power save method of embodiment 2 of the presentinvention is adopted, the TXOP power save indication of the first frameis power save forbidden, each STA device does not enter the Doze stateafter receiving the first frame, and until a frame where the TXOP powersave indication indicates that power save is allowed, is received, eachSTA device judges whether to enter the Doze state according to the dozecondition, thereby enhancing the power save effect.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 3of the present invention. In embodiment 3 of the present invention, anoperating process of an AP device in combination with an STA device istaken as an example to illustrate the power save method. In embodiment 3of the present invention, for a TXOP power save indication, a no TXOPpower save indication is taken as an example, and, that when noidentifier of an STA device is newly added in a current TXOP and powersave is allowed in the current TXOP, an AP may set the no TXOP powersave indication to no in the current frame is taken as an example. Inembodiment 3 of the present invention, the doze condition includes afirst doze condition. As shown in FIG. 3, the method includes thefollowing procedure.

Step 301: The AP device sends one or more frames of the current TXOP tothe STA device. Each frame includes: an operation object identifier ofthe frame and a no TXOP power save indication of the frame, and the noTXOP power save indication of each frame is respectively set by the APaccording to whether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in anoperation object identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of thecurrent TXOP.

In this step, a TXOP includes one or more frames, and the AP devicedelivers the no TXOP power save indication of the current frame to anSTA device in each frame, and delivers an identifier of an STA devicecorresponding to an operation indicated by the current frame. The APcarries the no TXOP power save indication and the operation objectidentifier in a preamble sequence of each frame and sends the preamblesequence to the STA device. Specifically, in a very high throughputsignal A1 (Very high throughput signal A1, VHT-SIG-A1 for short) fieldof the preamble sequence of each frame, one bit may be adopted for theno TXOP power save indication, and more than one bits are adopted toindicate the operation object identifier. For example, for the operationobject identifier, one or more bits in the VHT-SIG-A1 field may beadopted to indicate the operation object identifier corresponding to theframe. For the no TXOP power save indication, a B22 bit of theVHT-SIG-A1 field may be adopted for the no TXOP power save indication,and the bit is referred to as a No TXOP PS bit. If the No TXOP PS bit is0, it indicates that the no TXOP power save indication is no, an STA ofthis BSS is allowed to perform a power save operation, that is, the STAis allowed to be switched between the Awake state and the Doze state. Ifthe No TXOP PS bit is 1, it indicates that the no TXOP power saveindication is yes, an STA of this BSS is forbidden to perform a powersave operation, that is, the STA may maintain the Awake state.

When the No TXOP PS bit of each frame is set, the AP not only performssetting according to whether power save is allowed in the current TXOP,but also needs to perform setting according to whether an identifier ofa station STA is newly added in a subsequent frame of the current framein the TXOP. Specifically, if no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded in the subsequent frame, and power save is allowed in the currentTXOP, the AP device may set the No TXOP PS bit of the current frame to0, indicating that the STA is allowed to perform power save, or may setthe No TXOP PS bit of the current frame to 1, indicating that the STA isforbidden from performing power save. If no identifier of a station STAis newly added in the subsequent frame, and power save is not allowed inthe current TXOP, the AP sets the No TXOP PS bit of the current frame to1, indicating that the STA is allowed to perform power save. If anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in the subsequent frame, theAP sets the No TXOP PS bit of the current frame to 1, indicating thatthe STA is allowed to perform power save in the current TXOP.Specifically, the AP device may adopt two methods recorded in embodiment1 of the present invention and embodiment 2 of the present invention tojudge whether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in anoperation object identifier of the subsequent frame of each frame of thecurrent TXOP. In embodiment 3 of the present invention, only adopting asecond method is taken as an example for illustration. Specifically, ifin the current frame and all frames after the current frame in the TXOP,the AP device transmits data to the same STA device only, or the APdevice transmits data to only several users in the same MU-MIMO group,the AP device judges that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently, and therefore the No TXOP PS bit may be used to indicatewhether the STA may enter the Doze state, that is, No TXOP PS=0 may beset, or No TXOP PS=1 may be set. Otherwise, the AP device may set the NoTXOP PS bit to 1, indicating that the STA device may not enter the Dozestate, that is, if in frames after the current frame in the TXOP, the APdevice needs to transmit data to an STA device other than several STAdevices that are indicated by the operation object identifier of thecurrent frame, the AP device may indicate that the STA device may notenter the Doze state. The specific case that in frames after the currentframe in the TXOP, the AP device transmits data to an STA device otherthan several STA devices that are indicated by the operation objectidentifier of the current frame includes: in SU-MIMO mode, the AP devicetransmits data to an STA device other than the STA device that areindicated by the operation object identifier of the current frame; inMU-MIMO mode, the AP transmits data to an STA device other than a setformed of multiple STA devices that are indicated by the operationobject identifier of the current frame.

In MU-MIMO mode, the operation object identifier is a group identity(Group Identity, Group ID for short). Before this power save method isexecuted, the Group ID is defined in advance through signaling and isset on the STA device. Specifically, in MU-MIMO mode, one or moreMU-MIMO groups are included, in which each MU-MIMO group includes morethan one STA device, generally four STA devices, and each of theforegoing one or more MU-MIMO groups is identified through a Group ID.Before this power save method is executed, the AP device sends theforegoing definition of the Group ID to each STA device through relevantsignaling; after receiving the foregoing definition, each STA devicestores the part relevant to itself in the foregoing definition, so thatwhen this power save method is executed, the AP device sends theoperation object identifier to the STA device, that is, the Group ID;after receiving the Group ID, the STA device can know whether the STAdevice belongs to the MU-MIMO group indicated by the Group ID accordingto the definition of the Group ID stored in the STA device itself; ifthe STA device belongs to the MU-MIMO group indicated by the Group ID,it indicates that the operation object identifier includes an indicationfor this STA device, and if the STA device does not belong to theMU-MIMO group indicated by the Group ID, it indicates that the operationobject identifier does not include an indication for this STA device. InSU-MIMO mode, the operation object identifier is a partial associationidentifier (association identifier, AID for short) of an STAcorresponding to the frame, or, the operation object identifier is apart of an AID of an STA corresponding to the frame, which also isreferred to as a partial AID. A specific implementation manner is that,in SU-MIMO mode, the AID is formed of 12 bits, and the operation objectidentifier is lower 9 bits in the 12 bits of the AID. If the AID orpartial AID is the same as an AID or partial AID of this STA device, itindicates that the operation object identifier includes an indicationfor this STA device, and if the AID or partial AID is different from theAID or partial AID of this STA device, it indicates that the operationobject identifier does not include an indication for this STA device.

Step 302: The STA device obtains a current frame of a current TXOP, inwhich the current frame includes the no TXOP power save indication ofthe frame and the operation object identifier of the frame.

In this step, the STA device obtains the no TXOP power save indicationand the operation object identifier of the current frame from a preamblesequence of a frame from the AP device.

Step 303: The STA device judges whether the no TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is yes or no, if it is no, step 304 isexecuted; if it is yes, the STA device maintains the Awake state, andthe STA device uses a next frame as a new current frame, and returns tostep 302.

In this step, the STA device judges whether the foregoing one bit usedfor denoting the no TXOP power save indication is yes or no, if the bitis no, it indicates that two conditions are satisfied simultaneously,that is: the TXOP power save is allowed and no identifier of a stationSTA is newly added subsequently, power save may be performed, and theprocedure continues to execute the following step 304; if the bit isyes, it indicates that one of the conditions is unsatisfied, or neithercondition is satisfied, and the STA device maintains the Awake state.

Step 304: In each frame from the current frame to a last frame of thecurrent TXOP, the STA device judges whether a first doze condition issatisfied, and if yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, theSTA device maintains the Awake state.

In this step, it is not required that doze conditions in existingcommunication protocol are modified according to the first dozecondition thereby upgrading and reconstructing an existing communicationdevice more conveniently.

Specifically, in MU-MIMO mode, the first doze condition may include anyone or any combination of the following three conditions, and when oneof the conditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the first dozecondition is satisfied, the STA device enters the Doze state; when oneor more conditions included by the first doze condition is unsatisfied,judging that the first doze condition is unsatisfied, the STA devicemaintains an Awake state. The three conditions specifically may includethe following content. Condition 1: when an operation object identifierof a current frame does not include an indication for this STA device,the STA device enters the Doze state. Condition 2: when an operationobject identifier of a current frame includes an indication for this STAdevice, and an indication of a spatial multiplexing stream numbercorresponding to this STA is 0, the STA device enters the Doze state.Condition 3: when an operation object identifier of a current frameincludes an indication for this STA device, and this STA receives moredata frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device enters theDoze state.

In this step, in SU-MIMO mode, the first doze condition may include anyone or any combination of the following three conditions, and when oneof the conditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the first dozecondition is satisfied, the STA device enters the Doze state; when oneor more conditions included by the first doze condition is unsatisfied,judging that the first doze condition is unsatisfied, the STA devicemaintains an Awake state. The three conditions specifically may includethe following content. Condition 1: when a partial AID indicated in anoperation object identifier of a current frame is different from apartial AID of this STA device, the STA device enters the Doze state.Condition 2: when the partial AID indicated in the operation objectidentifier of the current frame is the same as the partial AID of thisSTA device, but the current frame is not sent to this STA, the STAdevice enters the Doze state. Specifically, the STA device may judgewhether the current frame is sent to this STA device in multiplemanners, in which, a specific implementation manner is that, the STAdevice judges whether an MAC identifier of the current frame conforms toan MAC identifier of this STA device, and if yes, the current frame issent to this STA device; if no, the current frame is not sent to thisSTA device. Condition 3: when an operation object identifier of acurrent frame includes an indication for this STA device, and this STAreceives more data frames whose data bit indicators are 0, the STAdevice enters the Doze state.

When step 304 is executed, in each frame from the current frame to alast frame of the current TXOP, a judgment process of an exemplaryimplementation manner is as follows.

First step: The STA device judges whether the operation objectidentifier of the current frame includes an indication for this STAdevice, and if yes, a second step is executed; if no, the STA deviceenters the Doze state.

Second step: in MU-MIMO mode, judge whether an indication of a spatialmultiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0, or, whetherthis STA receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0, andif yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, the STA devicemaintains the Awake state. In SU-MIMO mode, judge whether the currentframe is sent to this STA device, or, judge whether this STA receivesmore data frames whose data bit indications are 0, and if the currentframe is not sent to this STA device or this STA device receives moredata frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device enters theDoze state, and if the current frame is sent to this STA device and thisSTA device receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 1,the STA device maintains the Awake state.

In embodiment 3 of the present invention, No TXOP PS of different framesin the same TXOP may be different, and only when power save is allowedand no identifier of a station STA is newly added in the subsequentframe of the TXOP, the No TXOP PS of the frame may indicate power saveallowed, and the STA determines whether to judge the first dozecondition according to the indication of the No TXOP PS of the currentframe. Because different No TXOP PS is set for different frames, and ifthe operation object identifier of the first frame does not include allSTA devices related to the TXOP, the No TXOP PS of the first frame maybe set to power save forbidden. it is assumed that the first method forjudging whether an identifier of a station STA is newly added isadopted, and only until operation object identifiers of multiple framesfrom the first frame to the current frame have included all STA devicesrelated to the TXOP, the No TXOP PS of the current frame may be set topower save allowed; it is assumed that the second method for judgingwhether an identifier of a station STA is newly added is adopted, andonly until the operation object identifier of the current frame hasincluded all STA devices related to all frames after the current framein the TXOP, the No TXOP PS of the current frame may be set to powersave allowed; therefore, the method is still applicable to a case thatthe operation object identifier in the first frame of the TXOP does notinclude all STA devices related to the TXOP, thereby expanding the powersave application range. Furthermore, in the case that the operationobject identifier in the first frame of the TXOP does not include allSTA devices related to the TXOP, power save cannot be performed in theTXOP all along by using the existing power save method, and if the powersave method of embodiment 3 of the present invention is adopted, the NoTXOP PS of the first frame is power save forbidden, the STA device doesnot enter the Doze state after receiving the first frame, and until aframe where the No TXOP PS is power save allowed is received, the STAdevice judges whether to enter the Doze state according to the firstdoze condition, thereby enhancing the power save effect.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 4of the present invention. In embodiment 4 of the present invention, anoperating process of an AP device in combination with an STA device istaken as an example to illustrate the power save method. In embodiment 4of the present invention, doze conditions include a first doze conditionand a second doze condition. On the technology of the technical solutionrecorded in embodiment 3 of the present invention, when No TXOP PS of acurrent frame is power save forbidden, a step that the STA device judgesthe second doze condition and records a judgment result is added; whenthe No TXOP PS of the current frame is power save allowed, a step ofdetermining whether to enter the Doze state according to the recordedjudgment result is added. As shown in FIG. 4, the method includes thefollowing procedure.

Step 401: The AP device sends one or more frames of the current TXOP tothe STA device. Each frame includes: an operation object identifier ofthe frame and a no TXOP power save indication of the frame, and the noTXOP power save indication of each frame is respectively set by the APaccording to whether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in anoperation object identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of thecurrent TXOP.

This step is the same as step 301 in embodiment 3 of the presentinvention, and is not repeated herein.

Step 402: The STA device obtains a current frame of a current TXOP, inwhich the current frame includes the no TXOP power save indication ofthe frame and the operation object identifier of the frame.

This step is the same as step 302 in embodiment 3 of the presentinvention, and is not repeated herein.

Step 403: The STA device judges whether the no TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is yes or no, and if it is no, step 404is executed; if it is yes, step 406 is executed.

Step 404: The STA device judges whether the recorded judgment result issatisfied or unsatisfied, and if it is satisfied, the STA device entersthe Doze state; if it is unsatisfied, step 405 is executed.

Step 405: In each frame from the current frame to a last frame of thecurrent TXOP, the STA device judges whether a first doze condition issatisfied, and if yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, theSTA device maintains the Awake state.

This step is the same as step 304 in embodiment 3 of the presentinvention, and is not repeated herein.

Step 406: The STA device maintains the Awake state, judges whether thesecond doze condition is satisfied, records the judgment result, uses anext frame as a new current frame, and returns to step 402.

In this step, specifically, in MU-MIMO mode, the second doze conditionmay include a combination of one or both of the following twoconditions. When one of the conditions is satisfied, that is, judgingthat the second doze condition is satisfied, the STA device records thejudgment result to be: satisfied. When neither condition included by thesecond doze condition is unsatisfied, it is judged that the second dozecondition is unsatisfied, the STA device records the judgment result tobe: unsatisfied. The two conditions specifically may include thefollowing content. Condition 1: an operation object identifier of acurrent frame includes an indication for this STA device, and anindication of a spatial multiplexing stream number corresponding to thisSTA is 0. Condition 2: an operation object identifier of a current frameincludes an indication for this STA device, and this STA receives moredata frames whose data bit indications are 0.

In this step, in SU-MIMO mode, the second doze condition may include acombination of one or both of the following two conditions. When one ofthe conditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the second dozecondition is satisfied, the STA device records the judgment result tobe: satisfied. When neither condition included by the second dozecondition is unsatisfied, it is judged that the second doze condition isunsatisfied, the STA device records the judgment result to be:unsatisfied. The two conditions specifically may include the followingcontent. Condition 1: the partial AID indicated in the operation objectidentifier of the current frame is the same as the partial AID of thisSTA device, but the current frame is not sent to this STA device.Specifically, the STA device may judge whether the current frame is sentto this STA device in multiple manners, in which, a specificimplementation manner is that, the STA device judges whether an MACidentifier of the current frame conforms to an MAC identifier of thisSTA device, and if yes, the current frame is sent to this STA device; ifno, the current frame is not sent to this STA device. Condition 2: anoperation object identifier of a current frame includes an indicationfor this STA device, and this STA device receives more data frames whosedata bit indications are 0.

In embodiment 4 of the present invention, No TXOP PS of different framesin the same TXOP may be different, and only when power save is allowedand no identifier of a station STA is newly added in the subsequentframe of the TXOP, the No TXOP PS of the frame indicates power saveallowed. according to the indication of the No TXOP PS of the currentframe, when the No TXOP PS of the current frame is power save forbidden,the STA device first judges the second doze condition and records ajudgment result, and then judges No TXOP PS of a next frame; in asubsequent procedure, when receiving a frame where No TXOP PS is powersave allowed, the STA device first determines whether to enter the Dozestate according to the recorded judgment result of the second dozecondition, and when the judgment result is unsatisfied, the STA devicethen judges the first doze condition for multiple frames from thecurrent frame to a last frame, thereby determining whether to enter theDoze state. The method is still applicable to a case that the operationobject identifier in the first frame of the TXOP does not include allSTA devices related to the TXOP, thereby not only expanding the powersave application range but also enhancing the power save effect.Furthermore, by judging the second doze condition in advance andrecording a result when the No TXOP PS is power save forbidden, when theresult is that the second doze condition is satisfied, once a framewhere the No TXOP PS is power save allowed is received, the STA devicemay immediately enter the Doze state, and is not required to judge thefirst doze condition, so that the STA device may as soon as possibleenter the Doze state, so as to further save judgment time for enteringthe Doze state, thereby enhancing the power save effect. Particularly,such an STA device may exist, which satisfies the second doze conditionin at least one of frames where No TXOP PS is power save forbidden, butdoes not satisfy the second doze condition in each frame where No TXOPPS is power save allowed, and if technical solutions recorded in otherembodiments are adopted, the STA device is incapable of entering theDoze state, while if the technical solution recorded in embodiment 4 ofthe present invention is adopted, the STA device may enter the Dozestate, thereby further enhancing the power save effect.

Further, in embodiment 3 of the present invention and embodiment 4 ofthe present invention, the no TXOP power save indication is only aspecific implementation manner of the TXOP power save indication, andtechnicians in this field may understand according to the prior artthat, the allowed TXOP power save indication may also be adopted todenote the TXOP power save indication, when the allowed TXOP power saveindication is yes, it indicates that power save is allowed in thecurrent TXOP; when the allowed TXOP power save indication is no, itindicates that power save is forbidden in the current TXOP.

Further, in embodiment 1 of the present invention to embodiment 4 of thepresent invention, when setting the TXOP power save indication, the APmay further limit the number of times a value is changed and/or a changeform of a value of the TXOP power save indication.

Because in the same TXOP, according to whether power save is allowed inthe current TXOP and whether an identifier of a station STA is newlyadded in the subsequent frame of the TXOP, the AP device sets the TXOPpower save indication of each frame, and the value of the TXOP powersave indication may change multiple times; for example, in the firstframe, power save is allowed and an identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently, the TXOP power save indication of the first frame ispower save forbidden, No TXOP PS=1 is taken as an example; in the secondframe, power save is allowed and no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently, the TXOP power save indication of the second frameis power save allowed, No TXOP PS=0 is taken as an example; in the thirdframe, power save is not allowed and no identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently, the TXOP power save indication of the thirdframe is power save forbidden, No TXOP PS=1 is taken as an example, andthe rest may be deduced by analogy. On the basis of the foregoingtechnical solution, in order to reduce complexity of processingprocedures of the AP device and the STA device, when the TXOP power saveindication is set, the number of times a value of a TXOP power saveindication is changed in one TXOP may be preset, and the AP device mayfurther respectively set the TXOP power save indication of each frameaccording to a preset number of times the value of the TXOP power saveindication is changed. For example, the preset number of times the valueof the TXOP power save indication is changed is twice or three times,and an exemplary implementation manner is that, the preset number oftimes the value of the TXOP power save indication is changed is once,that is, in the same TXOP, the TXOP power save indication is onlyallowed to change once. In the foregoing example, according to whetherpower save is allowed in the current TXOP and whether an identifier of astation STA is newly added in the subsequent frame of the TXOP, a thirdframe should be set to No TXOP PS=1, but the preset number of times thevalue of the TXOP power save indication is changed is once, and in asecond frame, the TXOP power save indication has changed relative to thefirst frame, so in a third frame, No TXOP PS is not changed, and No TXOPPS=0 the same as that for the second frame is still adopted.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solution, a change form of avalue of a TXOP power save indication in one TXOP may be further preset,and the AP device sets the TXOP power save indication of each frameaccording to the preset change form of the value of the TXOP power saveindication. For example, presetting a change form of a value of a TXOPpower save indication in one TXOP to be: changed from a power saveforbidden indication to a power save allowed indication. Therefore, inthe same TXOP, the TXOP power save indication is only allowed to bechanged from the power save forbidden indication to the power saveallowed indication, that is, if the TXOP power save indication of aformer frame of the current frame is power save forbidden, the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame is allowed to be set to powersave allowed, and if the TXOP power save indication of the former frameof the current frame indicates that power save is allowed, the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame is not allowed to be set topower save forbidden. Taking No TXOP PS as an example, the value thereofis only allowed to be changed from 1 to 0, and when, according towhether power save is allowed in the current TXOP and whether anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of the subsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP, itis judged that, the power save allowed indication should be changed tothe power save forbidden indication, the AP device does not alter thesetting of the TXOP power save indication, that is, the TXOP power saveindication is still maintained to be the power save allowed indication.

Further, on the basis of the foregoing technical solution, the currentframe in the procedure may be further extended. Specifically, in step302 and step 402, in addition to obtaining the current frame of thecurrent TXOP, the STA device may further obtain more than one frame fromthe first frame to the current frame of the current TXOP, and the morethan one frame includes respective operation object identifiers of theframes. When the first doze condition is judged in step 304, and thesecond doze condition is judged in step 406, all conditions judgedaccording to the operation object identifier of the current frame areextended into conditions judged according to the operation objectidentifiers of the foregoing more than one frame.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an AP device according toembodiment 5 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the AP deviceat least includes: a setting module 51 and a sending module 52. Aspecific working process of the AP device of embodiment 5 of the presentinvention 5 may refer to the foregoing technical solutions recorded inembodiment 1 of the present invention to embodiment 4 of the presentinvention.

The setting module 51 is configured to, according to whether power saveis allowed in a current TXOP and whether an identifier of a station STAis newly added in an operation object identifier of a subsequent frameof each frame of the current TXOP, set a TXOP power save indication ofeach frame.

The sending module 52 is configured to send one or more frames of thecurrent TXOP to the STA device, so that when the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame indicates that power save is allowed,the STA device determines whether to enter the Doze state according to ajudgment result for a doze condition.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the setting module 51is configured to, if power save is allowed in the current TXOP and noidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of a subsequent frame of the current frame of the currentTXOP, set the TXOP power save indication of the current frame to powersave allowed or power save forbidden; if power save is not allowed inthe current TXOP, set the TXOP power save indication of the currentframe to power save forbidden; and, if an identifier of a station STA isnewly added in an operation object identifier of the subsequent frame ofthe current frame of the current TXOP, set the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame to power save forbidden.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the setting module 51is configured to, if power save is allowed in the current TXOP and noidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of a subsequent frame of the current frame of the currentTXOP, set a TXOP power save indication of a frame at a preset positionafter the current frame to power save allowed or power save forbidden;if power save is not allowed in the current TXOP, set the TXOP powersave indication of the current frame to power save forbidden; and, if anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of the subsequent frame of the current frame of the currentTXOP, set the TXOP power save indication of the current frame to powersave forbidden.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the setting module 51is configured to, if the current frame and an operation objectidentifier before the current frame indicate an STA device required totransfer data in all frames after the current frame in the current TXOP,determine that no identifier of a station STA is newly added in theoperation object identifier of the subsequent frame of the current frameof the current TXOP. Or, the setting module 51 is configured to, if theoperation object identifier of the current frame indicates an STA devicerequired to transfer data in all frames after the current frame in thecurrent TXOP, determine that no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded in the operation object identifier of the subsequent frame of thecurrent frame of the current TXOP.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the setting module 51is further configured to, according to a preset number of times a valueof a TXOP power save indication is changed in one TXOP, set a TXOP powersave indication of each frame. And/or, the setting module 51 is furtherconfigured to, according to a preset change form of a value of a TXOPpower save indication in one TXOP, set a TXOP power save indication ofeach frame.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the setting module 51is configured to, according to the preset number of times a value of aTXOP power save indication is changed in one TXOP being once, set a TXOPpower save indication of each frame. And/or, the setting module 51 isconfigured to, according to a preset change form of a value of a TXOPpower save indication in a TXOP being that a TXOP power save indicationof a former frame of the current frame is power save forbidden, and theTXOP power save indication of the current frame indicates that powersave is allowed, respectively set the TXOP power save indication of eachframe.

In embodiment 5 of the present invention, Only when two conditions thatno identifier of a station STA is newly added and power save is allowedare both satisfied, the setting module of the AP device sets the TXOPpower save indications of the frame or the subsequent frame of the frameto power save allowed, so that the STA device determines whether thedoze condition is judged according to the TXOP power save indication.Therefore, in a case that the operation object identifier in the firstframe of the TXOP does not include all STA devices related to the TXOP,power save still can be performed, thereby expanding the power saveapplication range and enhancing the power save effect.

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an STA device according toembodiment 6 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the STAdevice at least includes: an obtaining module 61 and a control module62. A specific working process of the STA device of embodiment 6 of thepresent invention 5 may refer to the foregoing technical solutionsrecorded in embodiment 1 of the present invention to embodiment 4 of thepresent invention.

The obtaining module 61 is configured to obtain a current frame of acurrent TXOP, in which the current frame includes a TXOP power saveindication set by an AP device according to whether power save isallowed in the current TXOP and whether an identifier of a station STAis newly added in an operation object identifier of a subsequent frame.

The control module 62 is configured to, when the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame indicates that power save is allowed,control the STA device to determine whether to enter the Doze stateaccording to a judgment result for a doze condition.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the control module 62is further configured to, when the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame is power save forbidden, control the STA device tomaintain an Awake state, and control the obtaining module 61 to obtainthe current frame of the current TXOP by using a next frame as a currentframe.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the control module 62is configured to, when the TXOP power save indication of the currentframe indicates that power save is allowed, judge whether a first dozecondition is satisfied in each frame from the current frame to a lastframe of the current TXOP, and if yes, control the STA device to enterthe Doze state; if no, control the STA device to maintain the Awakestate. The first doze condition includes that: an operation objectidentifier of the current frame does not include an indication for thisSTA device, or, the operation object identifier of the current frameincludes the indication for this STA device and an indication of aspatial multiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0, or,the operation object identifier of the current frame includes theindication for this STA device and this STA receives more data frameswhose data bit indications are 0. Or, the first doze condition includesthat: a partial AID indicated in the operation object identifier of thecurrent frame is different from a partial AID of this STA device, or,the partial AID indicated in the operation object identifier of thecurrent frame is the same as the partial AID of this STA device and thecurrent frame is not sent to this STA, or, the operation objectidentifier of the current frame includes an indication for this STAdevice and this STA receives more data frames whose data bit indicationsare 0.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the control module 62is further configured to, when the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame is power save forbidden, judge whether a second dozecondition is satisfied and record a judgment result. The second dozecondition includes that: an operation object identifier of the currentframe includes an indication for this STA device and an indication of aspatial multiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0, or,the operation object identifier of the current frame includes theindication for this STA device and this STA receives more data frameswhose data bit indications are 0. Or, the second doze condition includesthat: the partial AID indicated in the operation object identifier ofthe current frame is the same as the partial AID of this STA device andthe current frame is not sent to this STA, or, the operation objectidentifier of the current frame includes the indication for this STAdevice and this STA receives more data frames whose data bit indicationsare 0.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the control module 62is further configured to, when the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame indicates that power save is allowed, judge whether arecorded judgment result of the second doze condition is satisfied orunsatisfied, and if the judgment result is satisfied, control the STAdevice to enter the Doze state; if the judgment result is unsatisfied,judge whether the first doze condition is satisfied.

In embodiment 6 of the present invention, only when the two conditionsthat no identifier of a station STA is newly added and power save isallowed are both satisfied, a TXOP power save indications of a frameobtained by the obtaining module of the STA device or of a subsequentframe of the frame indicates power save allowed; only when the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame indicates that power save isallowed, the control module of the STA device judges a doze condition,and determines whether to enter the Doze state according to a judgmentresult. Therefore, in the case that the operation object identifier inthe first frame of the TXOP does not include all STA devices related tothe TXOP, the method still can perform power save, thereby expanding thepower save application range and enhancing the power save effect.

In another aspect of the present invention, with respect to the drawbackexisting in the prior art, an embodiment of the present inventionproposes a power save method, without changing the method for setting NoTXOP PS of all frames in the same TXOP to be the same in the prior art,and on the basis of this description, by indicating whether anidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently in the frames ofthe TXOP, the application range of the power save method is expanded.For details, refer to the following embodiment 7 to embodiment 11.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 7of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the method includes thefollowing procedure.

Step 701: An STA device respectively obtains a current frame and apreset frame of a current transmit opportunity (Transmit Opportunity,TXOP for short), in which the current frame includes a subsequent STAindication and a TXOP power save indication, and the preset frameincludes an operation object identifier.

Step 702: When the TXOP power save indication of the current frame isallowed, the operation object identifier of the preset frame does notinclude an indication for this STA device, and the subsequent STAindication of the current frame is that no identifier of a station STAis newly added subsequently, the STA device enters a Doze state.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, step 702 furtherincludes that: When the TXOP power save indication of the current frameis allowed, the operation object identifier of the preset frame does notinclude an indication for this STA device, and the subsequent STAindication of the current frame is that an identifier of a station STAis newly added subsequently, the STA device maintains the Awake state.

In embodiment 7 of the present invention, the STA device performsjudgment according to three conditions which are a TXOP power saveindication, a subsequent STA indication, and a range included by anoperation object identifier, and when the TXOP power save indication isallowed, the subsequent STA indication is that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently and the operation objectidentifier of the preset frame does not include an identifier of thisSTA device, the STA device enters the Doze state. Therefore, the methodis still applicable to a case that the operation object identifier inthe first frame of the TXOP does not include all STA devices related tothe TXOP, thereby expanding the power save application range.Furthermore, in the case that the operation object identifier in thefirst frame of the TXOP does not include all STA devices related to theTXOP, power save cannot be performed in the TXOP all along by using theexisting power save method, and if the power save method of embodiment 7of the present invention is adopted, the STA device does not enter theDoze state after receiving the first frame, and until a frame where asubsequent STA indication that no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently is received, the STA device begins to enter the Dozestate, thereby enhancing the power save effect.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 8of the present invention. Specifically, in embodiment 8 of the presentinvention, the subsequent STA indication is an indication that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently (referred to asa No More STA indication), and when the indication that no identifier ofa station STA is newly added subsequently is yes, it indicates that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently; when theindication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently is no, it indicates that an identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently. In embodiment 8 of the present invention, theTXOP power save indication is a no TXOP power save indication, that is,the No TXOP PS indication, and when the no TXOP power save indication isyes, it indicates that power save is forbidden in the current TXOP; whenthe no TXOP power save indication is no, it indicates that power save isallowed in the current TXOP.

Furthermore, in embodiment 8 of the present invention, the indicationthat no identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently and theno TXOP power save indication are respectively indicated by adopting 1bit. As shown in FIG. 8, the method includes the following procedure.

Step 801: An AP device sends the indication that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently, the no TXOP power saveindication and the operation object identifier to an STA device in eachframe of the current TXOP.

In this step, the AP device directly delivers whether the indicationthat no identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently is yesor no, and whether the no TXOP power save indication is yes or no, andan identifier of the STA device corresponding to an operation indicatedby this frame to the STA device. A TXOP includes one or more frames, andthe AP carries the indication that no identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently, the no TXOP power save indication and theoperation object identifier in a preamble sequence of each frame andsends the preamble sequence to the STA device. Specifically, in a veryhigh throughput signal A1 (Very high throughput signal A1, VHT-SIG-A1for short) field of the preamble sequence of each frame, a bit isadopted for the indication that no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently, one bit is adopted for the no TXOP power saveindication, and more than one bit is adopted to indicate the operationobject identifier. For example, a reserved (Reserved, RSVD for short)bit of the VHT-SIG-A1 field is adopted for the indication that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently, and the bit isreferred to as a NoMoreSTA bit; when the NoMoreSTA bit is 1, itindicates that the indication that no identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently is yes, all STA devices related to the currentTXOP have been indicated in the operation object identifiers of thecurrent frame and frames before the current frame, and no new STA deviceis indicated in each of subsequent frames of the current frame; when theNoMoreSTA bit is 0, it indicates that the indication that no identifierof a station STA is newly added subsequently is no, not all STA devicesrelated to the current TXOP are indicated in the operation objectidentifiers of the current frame and frames before the current frame,and a new STA device is indicated in each of subsequent frames of thecurrent frame. For the no TXOP power save indication, a B22 bit of theVHT-SIG-A1 field may be adopted for the no TXOP power save indication,and the bit is referred to as a No TXOP PS bit; if the No TXOP PS bit is0, it indicates that the no TXOP power save indication is no, an STA ofthis BSS is allowed to perform a power save operation, that is, the STAis allowed to be switched between the Awake state and the Doze state; ifthe No TXOP PS bit is 1, it indicates that the no TXOP power saveindication is yes, an STA of this BSS is forbidden to perform a powersave operation. For the operation object identifier, one or more bits inthe VHT-SIG-A1 field may be adopted to indicate the operation objectidentifier corresponding to the frame.

In MU-MIMO mode, the operation object identifier is a group identity(Group Identity, Group ID for short). Before this power save method isexecuted, the Group ID is defined in advance through signaling and isset on the STA device. Specifically, in MU-MIMO mode, one or moreMU-MIMO groups are included, in which each MU-MIMO group includes morethan one STA device, generally four STA devices, and each of theforegoing one or more MU-MIMO groups is identified through a Group ID.Before this power save method is executed, the AP device sends theforegoing definition of the Group ID to each STA device through relevantsignaling; after receiving the foregoing definition, each STA devicestores the part relevant to itself in the foregoing definition, so thatwhen this power save method is executed, the AP device sends theoperation object identifier to the STA device, that is, the Group ID;after receiving the Group ID, the STA device can know whether the STAdevice belongs to the MU-MIMO group indicated by the Group ID accordingto the definition of the Group ID stored in the STA device itself; ifthe STA device belongs to the MU-MIMO group indicated by the Group ID,it indicates that the operation object identifier includes an indicationfor this STA device, and if the STA device does not belong to theMU-MIMO group indicated by the Group ID, it indicates that the operationobject identifier does not include an indication for this STA device. InSU-MIMO mode, the operation object identifier is a partial associationidentifier (association identifier, AID for short) of an STAcorresponding to the frame, or, the operation object identifier is apart of an AID of an STA corresponding to the frame, which also isreferred to as a partial AID. A specific implementation manner is that,in SU-MIMO mode, the AID is formed of 12 bits, and the operation objectidentifier is lower 9 bits in the 12 bits of the AID. If the AID orpartial AID is the same as an AID or partial AID of this STA device, itindicates that the operation object identifier includes an indicationfor this STA device, and if the AID or partial AID is different from theAID or partial AID of this STA device, it indicates that the operationobject identifier does not include an indication for this STA device.

Step 802: The STA device respectively obtains a current frame and apreset frame of a current TXOP, in which the current frame includes theindication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently and the no TXOP power save indication, and the preset frameincludes an operation object identifier.

In this step, the STA device obtains the indication that no identifierof a station STA is newly added subsequently of the current frame, theno TXOP power save indication of the current frame and the operationobject identifier of the preset frame from a preamble sequence of aframe from the AP device. The preset frame may adopt two specificimplementation manners, and in a first implementation manner, the presetframe is the current frame of the current TXOP; in a secondimplementation manner, the preset frame is one or more frames from thefirst frame to the current frame of the current TXOP.

Step 803: The STA device judges whether the no TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is yes or no, and if it is yes, the STAdevice maintains the Awake state; if it is no, step 804 is executed.

In this step, if the no TXOP power save indication of the current frameis yes, it indicates that the AP device forbids the STA device fromperforming power save in the current TXOP, and therefore, the STA deviceneeds to maintain the Awake state. If the no TXOP power save indicationof the current frame is no, it indicates that the AP device allows theSTA device to perform power save in the current TXOP, and the procedurecontinues to execute the following step 804.

Step 804: The STA device judges whether the first doze condition issatisfied, and if yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, theSTA device maintains the Awake state.

In this step, in MU-MIMO mode, the first doze condition may include anyone or any combination of the following three conditions, and when oneof the conditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the first dozecondition is satisfied, the STA device enters the Doze state; when oneor more conditions included by the first doze condition is unsatisfied,judging that the first doze condition is unsatisfied, the STA devicemaintains an Awake state. The three conditions specifically may includethe following content. Condition 1: when an operation object identifierof a preset frame does not include an indication for this STA device,and the indication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently of the current frame is yes, the STA device enters the Dozestate. Condition 2: when an operation object identifier of a presetframe includes an indication for this STA device, and an indication of aspatial multiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0, theSTA device enters the Doze state. Condition 3: when an operation objectidentifier of a preset frame includes an indication for this STA device,and this STA receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0,the STA device enters the Doze state.

In this step, in SU-MIMO mode, the first doze condition may include acombination of one or more of the following three conditions, and whenone of the conditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the first dozecondition is satisfied, the STA device enters the Doze state; when oneor more conditions included by the first doze condition is unsatisfied,judging that the first doze condition is unsatisfied, the STA devicemaintains an Awake state. The three conditions specifically may includethe following content. Condition 1: when a partial AID indicated by anoperation object identifier of a preset frame is different from apartial AID of this STA device, and the indication that no identifier ofa station STA is newly added subsequently of the current frame is yes,the STA device enters the Doze state. Condition 2: when a partial AIDindicated by an operation object identifier of a preset frame is thesame as a partial AID of this STA device, and the indication that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently of the currentframe is yes, but the current frame is not sent to this STA, the STAdevice enters the Doze state. Specifically, the STA device may judgewhether the current frame is sent to this STA device in multiplemanners, in which, a specific implementation manner is that, the STAdevice judges whether a medium access control (Medium Access Control,MAC for short) identifier of the current frame conforms to an MACidentifier of this STA device, and if yes, the current frame is sent tothis STA device; if no, the current frame is not sent to this STAdevice. Condition 3: when an operation object identifier of a presetframe includes an indication for this STA device, and this STA receivesmore data frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device entersthe Doze state.

When step 804 is executed, a judgment process of an exemplaryimplementation manner is as follows.

First step: The STA device judges whether the operation objectidentifier of the preset frame includes an indication for this STAdevice, and if yes, a second step is executed; if no, a third step isexecuted. In the first step, for the foregoing two specificimplementation manners of the preset frame, if the preset frame is thecurrent frame of the current TXOP, in the first step, it is judgedwhether the operation object identifier of the current frame includes anindication for this STA device; if the preset frame is from the firstframe to the current frame of the current TXOP, in the first step, it isjudged whether operation object identifiers of multiple frames from thefirst frame to the current frame include an indication for this STAdevice.

Second step: In MU-MIMO mode, judge whether an indication of a spatialmultiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0, or, whetherthis STA receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0, andif yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, the STA devicemaintains the Awake state. In the SU-MIMO mode, judge whether thecurrent frame is sent to this STA device, or, judge whether this STAreceives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0, and if thecurrent frame is not sent to this STA device or this STA device receivesmore data frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device entersthe Doze state; and if the current frame is sent to this STA device andthis STA device receives more data frames whose data bit indications are1, the STA device maintains the Awake state. In the second step, whenthe operation object identifier of the preset frame includes theindication for this STA device, the second doze condition in theexisting power save method is adopted to judge whether the STA deviceenters the Doze state. The specific judgment for the second dozecondition is the same as that in the existing power save method, and isnot repeated herein.

Third step: The STA device judges whether the indication that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently of the currentframe is yes or no, and if it is yes, the STA device enters the Dozestate; if it is no, the STA device maintains the Awake state. In thethird step, if the indication that no identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently of the current frame is no, demonstrating thata newly added STA still may occur in a subsequent frame, therefore,until the current frame, an STA device still not included in theoperation object identifier still may be used in an operation of thesubsequent frame, and therefore, the STA device needs to maintain theAwake state. If the indication that no identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently of the current frame is yes, demonstrating thatno newly added STA occurs in a subsequent frame, it may be consideredthat an STA device still not included in the operation object identifierof the preset frame is enabled to enter the Doze state, and a receiverof this STA device is turned off, so as to save power consumption of theSTA device.

In embodiment 8 of the present invention, An AP device sends theindication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently, the no TXOP power save indication and the operation objectidentifier to an STA device in each frame of the current TXOP; the STAdevice directly obtains a no TXOP power save indication through from theAP device, and first judges whether power save is allowed according tothe no TXOP power save indication, and then judges whether to enter theDoze state according to the operation object identifier and theindication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently sequentially when power save is allowed. Therefore, themethod does not require the operation object identifier in the firstframe of the TXOP to include all STA devices related to the TXOP,thereby expanding the application range of the power save method, andenhancing the power save effect.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 9of the present invention. In embodiment 9 of the present invention, thatthe subsequent STA indication is the indication that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently, and the TXOP power saveindication is the no TXOP power save indication is still taken as anexample.

Furthermore, in embodiment 9 of the present invention, in order to savesignaling resources, a bit for indicating the no TXOP power saveindication is not used anymore, and communication parties are enabled toin advance stipulate that the no TXOP power save indication is no, thatis, power save is allowed in the current TXOP by default, so that thebit is not required to be adopted to perform an indication, therebysaving signaling overhead of a bit. Specifically, the method may adopt amanner for specifying a communication standard, it may be specified thatthe no TXOP power save indication is no in the communication standard,or the indication information about the no TXOP power save indication isnot related in the communication standard, that is, equivalent to thatthe standard allows power save in the current TXOP by default. However,the indication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently still adopts a bit to perform an indication. As shown inFIG. 9, the method includes the following procedure.

Step 901: An AP device sends the indication that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently, and the operation objectidentifier to an STA device in each frame of the current TXOP.

In this step, the specific method in which the AP device sends theindication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently and the operation object identifier to the STA device ineach frame of the current TXOP is the same as the method recorded instep 801 in embodiment 8 of the present invention, and is not repeatedherein.

Step 902: The STA device respectively obtains a current frame and apreset frame of a current TXOP, in which the current frame includes theindication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently and the no TXOP power save indication, and the preset frameincludes an operation object identifier.

In this step, the STA device, according to a preset no TXOP power saveindication, obtains that the no TXOP power save indication is no. Thespecific method in which the STA device obtains the indication that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently of the currentframe of the current TXOP and the operation object identifier of thepreset frame is the same as the method recorded in step 802 inembodiment 8 of the present invention, and is not repeated herein.

Because in embodiment 9 of the present invention, it is equivalent tothat communication parties has stipulated that the no TXOP power saveindication is no, the STA device is not required to judge the no TXOPpower save indication, and the process may directly execute thefollowing step 903.

Step 903: The STA device judges whether the first doze condition issatisfied, and if yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, theSTA device maintains the Awake state.

The specific method of this step is the same as the method recorded instep 804 in embodiment 8 of the present invention, and is not repeatedherein.

In embodiment 9 of the present invention, through a manner specified bya communication protocol, communication parties in advance havestipulated that the no TXOP power save indication is no, that is, powersave is allowed in the current TXOP by default, so signaling overhead issaved, and the step in which the STA device judges whether the no TXOPpower save indication of the current frame is yes or no may be omitted,thereby further increasing the judgment efficiency of the power savemethod, and enhancing the power save effect.

In embodiment 8 of the present invention and embodiment 9 of the presentinvention, the indication that no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently and the no TXOP power save indication are only aspecific implementation manner of the subsequent STA indication and theTXOP power save indication respectively; technicians in this field mayunderstand according to the prior art that, the indication that anidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently may also beadopted to denote the subsequent STA indication; and when the indicationthat an identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently is yes,it indicates that an identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently; when the indication that an identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently is no, it indicates that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently. By the same token, the allowedTXOP power save indication may also be adopted to denote the TXOP powersave indication, when the allowed TXOP power save indication is yes, itindicates that power save is allowed in the current TXOP; when theallowed TXOP power save indication is no, it indicates that power saveis forbidden in the current TXOP.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a power save method according to embodiment 10of the present invention. In embodiment 10 of the present invention, thesubsequent STA indication is the indication that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently, and the TXOP power saveindication is the allowed TXOP power save indication. Furthermore, inembodiment 10 of the present invention, a bit is adopted for indicatingthe indication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently and the allowed TXOP power save indication simultaneously,thereby saving a bit, and saving the signaling overhead. As shown inFIG. 10, the method includes the following procedure.

Step 1001: An AP device sends the indication that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently, the allowed TXOP power saveindication and the operation object identifier to an STA device in eachframe of the current TXOP.

In this step, the specific method in which the AP device sends theoperation object identifier to the STA device is the same as the methodrecorded in step 801 of embodiment 8 of the present invention. However,the AP device sends the indication that no identifier of a station STAis newly added subsequently and the allowed TXOP power save indicationto the STA device by adopting the same bit. Specifically, the indicationthat no identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently and theallowed TXOP power save indication include 1 bit in total, and when noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently and power saveis allowed in the current TXOP, the bit is yes, generally denoted with avalue 1; in any other case, the bit is no, generally denoted with avalue 0, and for example: when an identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently, no matter whether power save is allowed in thecurrent TXOP, the bit is no; or, when power save is forbidden in thecurrent TXOP, no matter whether an identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently, the bit is no.

Step 1002: The STA device respectively obtains a current frame and apreset frame of a current TXOP, in which the current frame includes theindication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently and the allowed TXOP power save indication, and the presetframe includes an operation object identifier.

Step 1003: The STA device judges whether the allowed TXOP power saveindication of the current frame being yes and the indication that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently being yes aresatisfied, if yes, step 1004 is executed; if no, the STA devicemaintains the Awake state.

In this step, the STA device judges whether the foregoing 1 bit used forindicating the indication that no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently and the allowed TXOP power save indicationsimultaneously is yes or no, if the bit is yes, it indicates that theallowed TXOP power save indication of the current frame being yes andthe indication that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently being yes are satisfied simultaneously, power save may beperformed, and the procedure continues to execute the following step1004; if the bit is no, it indicates that one of the conditions isunsatisfied, or neither condition is satisfied, and the STA devicemaintains the Awake state.

Step 1004: The STA device judges whether the second doze condition issatisfied, and if yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, theSTA device maintains the Awake state.

In this step, the second doze condition may include two doze conditionsin the prior art, that is, it is not required to modify doze conditionsin existing communication protocols, thereby upgrading andreconstructing an existing communication device more conveniently.

Specifically, in MU-MIMO mode, the second doze condition may include anyone or any combination of the following three conditions, and when oneof the conditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the second dozecondition is satisfied, the STA device enters the Doze state; when oneor more conditions included by the second doze condition is unsatisfied,judging that the second doze condition is unsatisfied, the STA devicemaintains an Awake state. The three conditions specifically may includethe following content. Condition 1: when an operation object identifierof a preset frame does not include an indication for this STA device,the STA device enters the Doze state. Condition 2: when an operationobject identifier of a preset frame includes an indication for this STAdevice, and an indication of a spatial multiplexing stream numbercorresponding to this STA is 0, the STA device enters the Doze state.Condition 3: when an operation object identifier of a preset frameincludes an indication for this STA device, and this STA receives moredata frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device enters theDoze state.

In this step, in SU-MIMO mode, the second doze condition may include anyone or any combination of the following three conditions, and when oneof the conditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the second dozecondition is satisfied, the STA device enters the Doze state; when oneor more conditions included by the second doze condition is unsatisfied,judging that the second doze condition is unsatisfied, the STA devicemaintains an Awake state. The three conditions specifically may includethe following content. Condition 1: when a partial AID indicated in anoperation object identifier of a preset frame is different from apartial AID of this STA device, the STA device enters the Doze state.Condition 2: when the partial AID indicated in the operation objectidentifier of the preset frame is the same as the partial AID of thisSTA device, but the current frame is not sent to this STA, the STAdevice enters the Doze state. Specifically, the STA device may judgewhether the current frame is sent to this STA device in multiplemanners, in which, a specific implementation manner is that, the STAdevice judges whether an MAC identifier of the current frame conforms toan MAC identifier of this STA device, and if yes, the current frame issent to this STA device; if no, the current frame is not sent to thisSTA device. Condition 3: when an operation object identifier of a presetframe includes an indication for this STA device, and this STA receivesmore data frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device entersthe Doze state.

When step 1004 is executed, a judgment process of an exemplaryimplementation manner is as follows.

First step: The STA device judges whether the operation objectidentifier of the preset frame includes an indication for this STAdevice, and if yes, a second step is executed; if no, the STA deviceenters the Doze state.

Second step: In MU-MIMO mode, judge whether an indication of a spatialmultiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0, or, whetherthis STA receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0, andif yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, the STA devicemaintains the Awake state. In SU-MIMO mode, judge whether the currentframe is sent to this STA device, or, judge whether this STA receivesmore data frames whose data bit indications are 0, and if the currentframe is not sent to this STA device or this STA device receives moredata frames whose data bit indications are 0, the STA device enters theDoze state; and if the current frame is sent to this STA device and thisSTA device receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 1,the STA device maintains the Awake state.

In embodiment 10 of the present invention, 1 bit is adopted forindicating the indication that no identifier of a station STA is newlyadded subsequently and the allowed TXOP power save indicationsimultaneously, thereby further saving the signaling overhead of 1 bit.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions recorded in embodiment7 of the present invention to embodiment 10 of the present invention,further, the power save method further includes the following step: theSTA device sets a contained identifier. The contained identifier is usedfor denoting whether the identifier of the STA device is included in theoperation object identifier of the preset frame, and the containedidentifier initially is set to no. Specifically, the STA device mayadopt a bit as the contained identifier, and during initial setting, thevalue of the bit is 0, as long as an operation object identifier of aframe includes the identifier of the STA device, the bit valuecorresponding to the contained identifier of the STA device is set to 1,and after a subsequent frame is received, the bit value is stillmaintained to be 1. In the foregoing three embodiments, the step ofsetting the contained identifier for the STA device respectively may beexecuted before or at the same time of the foregoing step 701, step 801,step 901 and step 1002. After the STA device obtains the operationobject identifier of the preset frame, the STA device judges whether thecurrent contained identifier is yes or no, and if it is yes, thecontained identifier is maintained to be yes; if it is no, it is judgedwhether the operation object identifier of the current frame includes anidentifier of this STA device, and if yes, the contained identifier isset to yes; otherwise, the contained identifier is maintained to be no.In step 702, step 804, step 903 and step 1004, a specific method forjudging whether the operation object identifier of the preset frameincludes the identifier of this STA device includes: judging whether thecontained identifier is yes or no, in which if the contained identifieris yes, it indicates that the identifier of this STA device has beenincluded in the operation object identifier of the preset frame, and ifthe contained identifier is no, it indicates that the identifier of thisSTA device is not included in the operation object identifier of thepreset frame. The manner of setting the contained identifier is adopted,so that the step of judging whether the operation object identifier ofthe preset frame includes the identifier of this STA device is simple,convenient and easy, thereby increasing the judgment processingefficiency.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions recorded in embodiment7 of the present invention to embodiment 10 of the present invention,further, the power save method further includes that: the STA deviceobtains duration information of the current TXOP. In the foregoing threeembodiments, the step in which the STA device obtains the durationinformation of the current TXOP respectively may be executed before orat the same time of the foregoing step 701, step 801, step 901 and step1002. In step 702, step 804, step 903 and step 1004, After the STAdevice enters the Doze state, and when the duration of the current TXOPends, the STA device enters the Awake state, thereby ensuring that whena next TXOP comes, the STA device is in the Awake state, andsuccessfully receives corresponding indication information carried in aframe of the next TXOP.

FIG. 11 is a schematic structural diagram of an STA device according toembodiment 11 of the present invention. A device in this embodiment maybe an STA in MIMO wireless communication. When an access point the APdevice sends data or information to the STA device, the method in theforegoing method embodiment is applied. In a practical application,communication peer ends in MIMO may be an AP and an STA, so in differentcommunication cases, a device may be respectively used as an AP or STA.As shown in FIG. 11, the STA device 110 at least includes: an obtainingmodule 111 and a control module 112, and further may include anidentifier module 113.

The obtaining module 111 is configured to obtain a current frame and apreset frame of a current TXOP respectively, in which the current frameincludes a subsequent STA indication and a TXOP power save indication,and the preset frame includes an operation object identifier; theobtaining module 111 sends a subsequent STA indication of the currentframe of the current TXOP, a TXOP power save indication of the currentframe and an operation object identifier of the preset frame to thecontrol module 112.

the control module 112 is configured to, according to the subsequent STAindication of the current frame of the current TXOP, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame and the operation object identifier ofthe preset frame from the obtaining module 111, control the STA device,and control the STA device to enter a Doze state when the TXOP powersave indication of the current frame is allowed, the operation objectidentifier of the preset frame does not include an indication for thisSTA device, and the subsequent STA indication of the current frame isthat no identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the control module112 is further configured to control the STA device to maintain theAwake state when the TXOP power save indication of the current frame isallowed, the operation object identifier of the preset frame does notinclude an indication for this STA device, and the subsequent STAindication of the current frame is that an identifier of a station STAis newly added subsequently.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, specifically, theobtaining module 111 specifically may adopt any one of the followingthree manners, to obtain the subsequent STA indication and the TXOPpower save indication. In a first manner, the obtaining module 111 isconfigured to obtain 1 bit of information denoting the subsequent STAindication and 1 bit of information denoting the TXOP power saveindication. Or, in a second manner, the obtaining module 111 isconfigured to obtain 1 bit of information denoting the subsequent STAindication and obtain that the TXOP power save indication is allowedaccording to a communication standard. Or, in a third manner, theobtaining module 111 is configured to obtain 1 bit of informationdenoting the subsequent STA indication and the TXOP power saveindication, in which when the subsequent STA indication is that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently and the TXOPpower save indication is allowed, the bit is yes, and when thesubsequent STA indication is that an identifier of a station STA isnewly added subsequently or the TXOP power save indication is forbidden,the bit is no.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, specifically, theobtaining module 111 specifically may adopt any one of the followingthree manners, to obtain the operation object identifier. In a firstmanner, the obtaining module 111 is configured to obtain an operationobject identifier of the current frame of the current TXOP. Or, in asecond manner, the obtaining module 111 is configured to obtain anoperation object identifier of one or more frames from the first frameto the current frame of the current TXOP.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the STA devicefurther may include an identifier module 113. The identifier module 113is configured to store and update a contained identifier of the STAdevice. Specifically, the obtaining module 111 obtains the operationobject identifier of the preset frame of the current TXOP and sends theoperation object identifier to the identifier module 113, the identifiermodule 113 is configured to judge whether the current containedidentifier is yes or no, and if the current contained identifier is yes,the contained identifier is maintained to be yes; if it is no, it isjudged whether the operation object identifier of the current frameincludes an identifier of this STA device, and if yes, the containedidentifier is set to yes; otherwise, the contained identifier ismaintained to be no. Correspondingly, the control module 112 isconfigured to judge whether the contained identifier stored in theidentifier module 113 is yes or no, and if the contained identifier isyes, determine that the operation object identifier of the preset frameincludes an indication for this STA device, and if the containedidentifier is no, determine the operation object identifier of thepreset frame does not include the indication for this STA device.

On the basis of the foregoing technical solutions, the obtaining module111 is further configured to obtain duration information of the currentTXOP and send the duration information to the control module 112.Correspondingly, the control module 112 is further configured to controlthe STA device according to the duration information of the current TXOPfrom the obtaining module 111, and specifically, when the duration ofthe current TXOP ends, the control module 112 controls the STA device toenter the Awake state.

The specific working manner of the foregoing modules of the STA deviceof embodiment 11 of the present invention may be performed by adoptingthe power save method recorded in embodiment 7 of the present inventionto embodiment 10 of the present invention, and the technical solutionnot detailed in embodiment 11 of the present invention may beimplemented with reference to what is recorded in embodiment 7 of thepresent invention to embodiment 10 of the present invention.

In embodiment 11 of the present invention, the STA device obtains asubsequent STA indication, and controls the STA device to enter the Dozestate when the TXOP power save indication is allowed, the subsequent STAindication is that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently and the operation object identifier of the preset framedoes not include an identifier of this STA device. Therefore, if thepower save method is adopted, the operation object identifier in thefirst frame of the TXOP is not required to include all STA devicesrelated to the TXOP, thereby expanding the application range of thepower save method, and enhancing the power save effect.

It should be noted that, for the method embodiments, for purposes ofsimplicity of explanation, the method embodiments are described as acombination of a series of actions, but it should be known by personsskilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by theorder of the actions, as some steps can, in accordance with the presentinvention, be performed in other orders or concurrently. Secondly,persons skilled in the art should also know that, the embodimentsdescribed in the specification all fall within exemplary embodiments,and the related actions and modules are not necessarily required by thepresent invention.

A power save method may be given by integrating the foregoingembodiments, which includes the following steps.

S110: Set a power save indication of a current data frame, in which thepower save indication is used for indicating that an STA receiving thecurrent data frame is capable of allowing power save.

S1102: Send the current data frame in a current transmit opportunityTXOP, so that the STA receiving the current data frame determineswhether to enter a Doze state according to a judgment result for a dozecondition, and a power save indication included at least one data framesent before the current data frame is sent in the TXOP is used forindicating that the STA is forbidden from performing power save.

Apparently, the STA device is an STA device having the function ofentering the Doze state.

A specific method for setting a power indication may include thefollowing steps: if a power save indication of a former frame of thecurrent frame indicates that power save is allowed, the power saveindication of the current frame is directly set to power save allowed;or if a power save indication of a former frame of the current frame ispower save forbidden, it is judged whether the power save indication ofthe current frame is set to power save allowed according to whether thecurrent TXOP allows power save, and if power save allowed is satisfied,the power save indication of the current frame is set to power saveallowed.

Further, the judging whether the power save indication of the currentframe is set to power save allowed according to whether the current TXOPallows power save, and if power save is allowed, setting the power saveindication of the current frame to power save allowed includes thefollowing steps.

According to whether power save is allowed in the TXOP and whether anidentifier of a station STA is newly added in an operation objectidentifier of a subsequent frame of the current data frame, it is judgedwhether the power save indication of the current frame is set to powersave allowed, and if power save is allowed in the TXOP and no identifierof a station STA is newly added in an operation object identifier of asubsequent frame of the current data frame, the power save indication ofthe current frame is set to power save allowed.

As an implementation, if the power save indication in the at least onedata frame sent before the current data frame is sent in the TXOP is 1,it is indicated that the STA is forbidden from performing power save; ifthe power save indication of the current frame is 0, it is indicatedthat the STA receiving the data frame is capable of allowing power save.

Power save indications in all data frames before the current data framethat are sent in the current transmit opportunity TXOP indicate that theSTA is forbidden from performing power save, and power save indicationsin all subsequent data frames of the current data frame indicate thatthe STA is capable of allowing power save.

In the above embodiments, descriptions for the embodiments havedifferent emphases. For a part not described in detail in someembodiment, references may be made to relevant descriptions in otherembodiments.

Persons of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or part ofthe steps of the method according to the embodiments may be implementedby a program instructing relevant hardware. The program may be stored ina computer readable storage medium. When the program is executed, thesteps of the method according to the embodiments are performed. Thestorage medium may be any medium that is capable of storing programcodes, such as a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), amagnetic disk, or an optical disk.

An access point device is further given, which has a function ofentering a Doze state, and includes:

a setting unit, configured to set a power save indication of a currentdata frame, in which the power save indication is used for indicatingthat an STA receiving the current data frame is capable of allowingpower save; and

a sending unit, configured to send the current data frame in a currenttransmit opportunity TXOP, so that the STA receiving the current dataframe determines whether to enter a Doze state according to a judgmentresult for a doze condition,

in which, the setting unit sets the current frame so that a power saveindication included at least one data frame sent before the current dataframe is sent in the TXOP is used for indicating power save forbidden.

The device may complete the method processes of the foregoing stepsS1101 to S1102, and may execute the functions of steps S1101 to S1102.

For example, the setting unit, when setting the power save indication ofthe current data frame, directly sets the power save indication of thecurrent frame to power save allowed if a power save indication of aformer frame of the current frame indicates that power save is allowed;or if a power save indication of a former frame of the current frame ispower save forbidden, judges whether the power save indication of thecurrent frame is set to power save allowed according to whether thecurrent TXOP allows power save, and if the current TXOP allows powersave, sets the power save indication of the current frame to power saveallowed.

Further, the setting unit is configured to set the power save indicationto 1 to indicate that the STA is forbidden from performing power save;and set the power save indication to 0, to indicate that the STAreceiving the data frame allows power save.

In SU-MIMO mode, the operation object identifier is an associationidentifier (association identifier, AID for short) of associationidentifiers of an STA corresponding to the frame, and may be anyidentifier associated with an STA corresponding to the frame, and if itis the association identifier of the STA, only this STA is indicated;for example, the association identifier of the STA may be an MAC (MediumAccess Control) identifier (identifier) of this STA, and the MACidentifier generally is also referred to as an MAC address (address).

Similarly, in MU-MIMO mode, the operation object identifier may be theGroup ID as described above, but is not limited to the implementation ofadopting the Group ID, and may be any one or multiple identifiersindicating several STAs; for example, in MU-MIMO mode, the operationobject identifier further may be implemented by using several MACaddresses corresponding to several STAs respectively, that is, theoperation object identifier may also be several MAC addressescorresponding to several STAs respectively.

In embodiment 1 of the present invention to embodiment 4 of the presentinvention, when setting the TXOP power save indication, the AP mayfurther limit the number of times a value is changed and/or a changeform of a value of the TXOP power save indication.

Embodiment 12 is provided.

Step 1201: The AP device sends one or more frames of the current TXOP tothe STA device. Each frame includes: an operation object identifier ofthe frame and a no TXOP power save indication of the frame, and the noTXOP power save indication of each frame is set by the AP according towhether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in an operationobject identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of the currentTXOP. Because the no TXOP power save indication is only allowed tochange once, and the TXOP power save indication is only allowed tochange from the power save forbidden indication to the power saveallowed indication, when the no TXOP power save indication changes onceand it is assumed that the no TXOP power save indication changes in aK^(th) frame, the implementation manner is that: in all frames betweenthe first frame to a K−1^(th) frame of the current TXOP, including thefirst frame and the K−1^(th) frame, that is, in all frames of thecurrent TXOP before a frame (that is, a K^(th) frame) where the no TXOPpower save indication changes, the AP device sets the value of the noTXOP power save indication to the power save forbidden indication, thatis, 1; in all frames between the K^(th) frame to a last frame of thecurrent TXOP, including the K^(th) frame and the last frame, that is, inall frames of the current TXOP before the frame (that is, the K^(th)frame) where the no TXOP power save indication changes and in all framesof the current TXOP after the frame (that is, the K^(th) frame), the APdevice sets the value of the no TXOP power save indication to the powersave allowed indication, that is, 0.

Step 1202: The STA device obtains a current frame of a current TXOP, inwhich the current frame includes the no TXOP power save indication ofthe frame and the operation object identifier of the frame.

Step 1203: The STA device judges whether the no TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is yes or no, if it is no, step 1204 isexecuted; if it is yes, the STA device maintains the Awake state, andthe STA device uses a next frame as a new current frame, and returns tostep 1202.

Step 1204: In each frame from the current frame to a last frame of thecurrent TXOP, the STA device judges whether a first doze condition issatisfied, and if yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, theSTA device maintains the Awake state. In this step, it is not requiredthat doze conditions in existing communication protocol are modifiedaccording to the first doze condition, thereby upgrading andreconstructing an existing communication device more conveniently.

As described in embodiment 4, in MU-MIMO mode, the second doze conditionmay include a combination of one or both of the two conditions, and inSU-MIMO mode, the second doze condition may include a combination of oneor both of the two conditions. The implementation of implementation 1 ofembodiment 4 may be that: in MU-MIMO mode, the second doze conditionincludes a last one of the two conditions, and in SU-MIMO mode, thesecond doze condition includes a last one of the two conditions, thatis, in the MU-MIMO mode and the SU-MIMO mode, the second doze conditionis that: an operation object identifier of a current frame includes anindication for this STA device, and this STA receives more data frameswhose data bit indications are 0, which is equivalent to that, thesecond doze condition is that this STA device receives more data frameswhose data bit indications are 0 which are sent to this STA device, andreplies to the data frame with a corresponding ACK. The implementationof implementation 2 of embodiment 4 may be that: in MU-MIMO mode, thesecond doze condition includes the two conditions, and in SU-MIMO mode,the second doze condition includes a last one of the two conditions,which is equivalent to that, in the second doze condition adopted inimplementation 1 of the foregoing embodiment 4, the first condition inthe MU-MIMO mode is added, so that the second doze condition in theMU-MIMO mode and the SU-MIMO mode may comprehensively denote that thefollowing condition 1 and condition 2 are included.

Condition 1: A group identity (that is, Group ID) of a current frameincludes an indication for this STA device, and an indication of aspatial multiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0.

Condition 2: An operation object identifier of a current frame includesan indication for this STA device, and this STA receives more dataframes whose data bit indications are 0, which is equivalent to that,this STA device receives more data frames whose data bit indications are0 which are sent to this STA device, and replies to the data frame witha corresponding ACK.

A more detailed implementation method of the power save method of theforegoing embodiment 12 is as follows, and is recorded as embodiment 13.

Step 1301: The AP device sends one or more frames of the current TXOP tothe STA device. Each frame includes: an operation object identifier ofthe frame and a no TXOP power save indication of the frame, and the noTXOP power save indication of each frame is set by the AP according towhether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in an operationobject identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of the currentTXOP. When the no TXOP power save indication changes once and it isassumed that the no TXOP power save indication changes in the K^(th)frame, the implementation manner is that: in all frames between thefirst frame to a K−1^(th) frame of the current TXOP, including the firstframe and the K−1^(th) frame, that is, in all frames of the current TXOPbefore a frame (that is, a K^(th) frame) where the no TXOP power saveindication changes, the AP device sets the value of the no TXOP powersave indication to the power save forbidden indication, that is, 1; inall frames between the K^(th) frame to a last frame of the current TXOP,including the K^(th) frame and the last frame, that is, in all frames ofthe current TXOP before the frame (that is, the K^(th) frame) where theno TXOP power save indication changes and in all frames of the currentTXOP after the frame (that is, the K^(th) frame), the AP device sets thevalue of the no TXOP power save indication to the power save allowedindication, that is, 0.

In the same TXOP, the TXOP power save indication of each frame is set bythe AP according to whether power save is allowed in the current TXOPand whether an STA having the function of entering the Doze state isnewly added in the operation object identifier of the subsequent frameof the frame. Specifically, the AP may adopt the foregoing second methodto judge whether an STA having the function of entering the Doze stateis newly added in the operation object identifier of the subsequentframe of each frame of the current TXOP, that is, it is judged whetherthe operation object identifier of the current frame indicates an STAdevice having the function of entering the Doze state and required totransfer data in all frames after the current frame in the current TXOP,and if yes, it indicates that no data is transferred to a new STA devicein each of subsequent frames of the current frame, the condition that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently is satisfied inthe current frame; otherwise, the condition that no identifier of astation STA is newly added subsequently is unsatisfied in the currentframe. It can be seen easily that, the foregoing condition that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently is satisfied inthe current frame, which is equivalent to that: in the current TXOP, ineach of subsequent frames of the current frame, the STA device havingthe function of entering the Doze state to which the AP transfers datamay be one of several STA devices that are indicated by the operationobject identifier of the current frame.

In this embodiment, the method for setting the TXOP power saveindication is comprehensively described as follows: if a TXOP power saveindication of a former frame of the current frame is set to power saveallowed, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame may be setto power save allowed; if a TXOP power save indication of a former frameof the current frame is set to power save forbidden, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame may be set to power save allowed orpower save forbidden. When the TXOP power save indication of the currentframe may be set to power save allowed or power save forbidden, onlywhen power save being allowed in the current TXOP and no STA being newlyadded subsequently are both satisfied, the TXOP power save indication ofthe current frame of the current TXOP may be set to power save allowed.If power save is not allowed in the current TXOP, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame of the current TXOP may be set to powersave forbidden.

Step 1302: The STA device obtains a current frame of a current TXOP, inwhich the current frame includes the no TXOP power save indication ofthe frame and the operation object identifier of the frame.

Step 1303: The STA device judges whether the no TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is yes or no, if it is no, step 1304 isexecuted; if it is yes, the STA device maintains the Awake state, andcorrespondingly is not required to judge whether the doze condition issatisfied, and the STA device uses a next frame as a new current frame,and returns to step 1302.

Step 1304: In each frame from the current frame to a last frame of thecurrent TXOP, that is, in a frame where the no TXOP power saveindication in the current TXOP is no, the STA device judges whether athird doze condition is satisfied, and if yes, the STA device may enterthe Doze state; if no, the STA device maintains the Awake state. SeveralSTA devices once receiving a data frame sent to themselves in each framewhere the value of the no TXOP power save indication is the power saveforbidden indication judge whether a third doze condition is satisfied,and if yes, the STA device enters the Doze state; if no, the STA devicemaintains the Awake state. The third doze condition may include any oneor any combination of the following four conditions, and when one of theconditions is satisfied, that is, judging that the third doze conditionis satisfied, the STA device may enter the Doze state; when one or moreconditions included by the third doze condition is unsatisfied, judgingthat the third doze condition is unsatisfied, the STA device maintainsan Awake state. The four conditions specifically may include thefollowing content.

Condition 1: A group identity (that is, Group ID) of the current framedoes not include the indication for this STA device.

Condition 2: The partial AID indicated in the operation objectidentifier of the current frame is different from the partial AID ofthis STA device, or the current frame is not sent to this STA.

Condition 3: A group identity (that is, Group ID) of a current frameincludes an indication for this STA device, and an indication of aspatial multiplexing stream number corresponding to this STA is 0.

Condition 4: this STA device receives more data frames whose data bitindications are 0 which are sent to this STA device, and replies to thedata frame with a corresponding ACK.

The power save method of the foregoing embodiment 13 may be furtheroptimized, so as to acquire embodiment 14.

Step 1401: The AP device sends one or more frames of the current TXOP tothe STA device. Each frame includes: an operation object identifier ofthe frame and a no TXOP power save indication of the frame, and the noTXOP power save indication of each frame is set by the AP according towhether an identifier of a station STA is newly added in an operationobject identifier of a subsequent frame of each frame of the currentTXOP. When the no TXOP power save indication changes once and it isassumed that the no TXOP power save indication changes in the K^(th)frame, the implementation manner is that: in all frames between thefirst frame to a K−1^(th) frame of the current TXOP, including the firstframe and the K−1^(th) frame, that is, in all frames of the current TXOPbefore a frame (that is, a K^(th) frame) where the no TXOP power saveindication changes, the AP device sets the value of the no TXOP powersave indication to the power save forbidden indication, that is, 1; inall frames between the K^(th) frame to a last frame of the current TXOP,including the K^(th) frame and the last frame, that is, in all frames ofthe current TXOP before the frame (that is, the K^(th) frame) where theno TXOP power save indication changes and in all frames of the currentTXOP after the frame (that is, the K^(th) frame), the AP device sets thevalue of the no TXOP power save indication to the power save allowedindication, that is, 0.

In the same TXOP, the TXOP power save indication of each frame is set bythe AP according to whether power save is allowed in the current TXOP,the foregoing limitations i and ii, and whether an STA having thefunction of entering the Doze state is newly added in the operationobject identifier of the subsequent frame of the frame. The method inwhich the AP judges whether an STA having the function of entering theDoze state is newly added in the operation object identifier of thesubsequent frame of each frame of the current TXOP includes: judgingwhether several STA devices that are indicated by the operation objectidentifier of the current frame and several STA devices to which the APonce transfers data in each frame before the current frame include theSTA device having the function of entering the Doze state and requiredto transfer data in all frames after the current frame in the currentTXOP, and if yes, it indicates that no data is transferred to a new STAdevice in each of subsequent frames of the current frame, the conditionthat no identifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently issatisfied in the current frame; otherwise, the condition that noidentifier of a station STA is newly added subsequently is unsatisfiedin the current frame. It can be seen easily that, the foregoingcondition that no identifier of a station STA is newly addedsubsequently is satisfied in the current frame, which is equivalent tothat: in the current TXOP, in each of subsequent frames of the currentframe, the STA device having the function of entering the Doze state towhich the AP transfers data may be one of several STA devices that areindicated by the operation object identifier of the current frame, or isan STA device of the several STA devices to which the AP once transfersdata in each frame before the current frame.

In this embodiment, the method for setting the TXOP power saveindication is comprehensively described as follows: according to theforegoing limitations i and ii, if a TXOP power save indication of aformer frame of the current frame is set to power save allowed, the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame may be set to power saveallowed; if a TXOP power save indication of a former frame of thecurrent frame is set to power save forbidden, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame may be set to power save allowed orpower save forbidden. When according to the foregoing limitations i andii, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame may be set topower save allowed or power save forbidden, only when power save beingallowed in the current TXOP and no STA being newly added subsequentlyare both satisfied, the TXOP power save indication of the current frameof the current TXOP may be set to power save allowed. If power save isnot allowed in the current TXOP, the TXOP power save indication of thecurrent frame of the current TXOP may be set to power save forbidden.

Step 1402: The STA device obtains a current frame of a current TXOP, inwhich the current frame includes the no TXOP power save indication ofthe frame and the operation object identifier of the frame.

Step 1403: The STA device judges whether the no TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is yes or no, if it is no, step 1404 isexecuted; if it is yes, the STA device maintains the Awake state, andcorrespondingly is not required to judge whether the doze condition issatisfied, and the STA device uses a next frame as a new current frame,and returns to step 1402. Moreover, the STA device further performs thefollowing operations: judging whether the AP transfers data to itself inthe current frame, that is, judging whether the AP sends an MAC address(or referred to as an MAC identifier) of a receiving end and a dataframe the same as an MAC address of this STA device to this STA devicein the current frame, and if yes, the STA device records this state,that is, records this state that a data frame sent to itself is oncereceived in a frame where the value of the no TXOP power save indicationis the power save forbidden indication.

Step 1404: In each frame from the current frame to a last frame of thecurrent TXOP, that is, in a frame where the no TXOP power saveindication in the current TXOP is no, several STA devices once receivinga data frame sent to themselves in each frame where the value of the noTXOP power save indication is the power save forbidden indication judgewhether a fourth doze condition is satisfied, and if yes, the STAdevices may enter the Doze state; if no, the STA devices maintain theAwake state. However, other STA devices instead of the several STAdevices once receiving a data frame sent to themselves in each framewhere the value of the no TXOP power save indication is the power saveforbidden indication, that is, STA devices not ever receiving a dataframe sent to themselves in each frame where the value of the no TXOPpower save indication is the power save forbidden indication, judgewhether the third doze condition is satisfied, and if yes, the STAdevices enter the Doze state; if no, the STA devices maintain the Awakestate. The fourth the doze condition, that is, a last condition of thefour conditions included by the third doze condition, is that: this STAdevice receives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0 whichare sent to this STA device, and replies to the data frame with acorresponding ACK.

In step 1404, the several STA devices once receiving a data frame sentto themselves in each frame where the value of the no TXOP power saveindication is the power save forbidden indication adopt the fourth dozecondition.

In embodiment 14, step 1404 may be modified only to acquire stillanother embodiment of the present invention, that is: the fourth dozecondition in step 1404 is replaced with a fifth doze condition, that is,several STA devices once receiving a data frame sent to themselves ineach frame where the value of the no TXOP power save indication is thepower save forbidden indication judge whether the fifth doze conditionis satisfied, and if yes, the STA devices enter the Doze state; if no,the STA devices maintain the Awake state. However, the fifth dozecondition may include any one or any combination of the following twoconditions, and when one of the conditions is satisfied, that is,judging that the fifth doze condition is satisfied, the STA device mayenter the Doze state; when one or more conditions included by the fifthdoze condition is unsatisfied, judging that the fifth doze condition isunsatisfied, the STA device maintains an Awake state. However, the twoconditions, that is, last two conditions of the four conditions includedby the third doze condition, are: condition 1: a group identity (thatis, Group ID) of a current frame includes an indication for this STAdevice, and an indication of a spatial multiplexing stream numbercorresponding to this STA is 0; and condition 2: this STA devicereceives more data frames whose data bit indications are 0 which aresent to this STA device, and replies to the data frame with acorresponding ACK.

In the embodiments of this application document, if an STA device judgesthe STA device itself may enter the Doze state according to the dozecondition, the STA device maintains the Doze state until this TXOP ends.When a TXOP begins, an NAV (network allocation vector: networkallocation vector) is carried in at least one frame sent by an AP, theNAV indicates a period of time, and in this period of time, all STAshaving no control right over the TXOP are incapable of activelyinitiating data transmission; thereby, the NAV sets TXOP continuationtime, and in practice, when a TXOP begins, the TXOP continuation timeset by the AP may change in the TXOP, and may be implemented through aframe carrying a new NAV and sent by the AP; the TXOP end time indicatedby the new NAV is different from the TXOP end time set by the NAV sentby the AP previously. In the prior art, the foregoing carrying an NAV ina frame generally refers to carrying an NAV in a duration field(Duration field) in an MAC frame (MAC frame) in a frame.

In the embodiments of this application document, the following step 1501may be added for each STA device, so as to avoid that the STA deviceoccupies a wireless channel after being switched to the Awake state soas to disturb communication being performed by other users.

Step 1501: Any STA device maintaining the Doze state until the end ofthis TXOP, after ending the Doze state and being switched to the Awakestate, is incapable of using a transmission medium (access the medium),that is, is incapable of occupying a wireless channel to sendinformation, until any one or more of the following three conditions issatisfied. Condition 1. The STA device receives a frame and the framesets its own NAV.

Condition 2. The STA device correctly decodes an L-SIG field (that is,Non-HT Signal field, also referred to as Legacy Signal field) includedby a frame and the frame supports a mechanism that the L-SIG protectsthe TXOP (that is, L-SIG TXOP protection). Condition 3. by performingCCA (clear channel assessment, that is, a channel does not use stateassessment), the STA device determines that in a period of given timeT15, a channel, that is, a transmission medium, is in an idle (idle)state. The T15 is a length value of a period of time, for example, maybe 0.5 millisecond or 0.9 millisecond; the CCA is an existingtechnology, that is, the STA device accesses power received on achannel, and when the power is less than a given value, it is consideredthat the channel is in the idle state.

Another implementation manner may further exist for condition 2 of theforegoing step 1501, in which the STA device correctly decodes an L-SIGfield included by a frame; and when the frame does not support themechanism that the L-SIG supports the TXOP, and only after a period oftime protected by the L-SIG field ends and then a period of given timeT2 passes, the STA device may use a transmission medium; however, whenthe frame supports the mechanism that the L-SIG protects the TXOP, andafter the period of time protected by the L-SIG field ends, the STAdevice may use a transmission medium. That the STA device may use atransmission medium does not mean that the STA device definitely uses atransmission medium. When an STA device may use a transmission medium,generally the STA device further needs to compete for the use right ofthe transmission medium, and only after obtaining the use right of thetransmission medium through competition, the STA device uses thetransmission medium; multiple implementation manners may exist for thevalue of the period of given time T15b, and for example, T15b is equalto the time length of an ACK frame plus the time length of two SIFSs(short inter-frame space: short inter-frame space), or is equal to thetime length of an ACK frame plus the time length of an SIFS then plusthe time length of a PIFS (The PCF inter-frame space: PCF inter-framespace).

It can be seen from the foregoing step 1501 that, after ending the Dozestate and being switched to the Awake state, if an STA devicemaintaining the Doze state until the end of this TXOP can immediatelyreceive a frame and the frame sets its own NAV, the STA device may use atransmission medium very quickly.

Therefore, the following steps may be added for the AP device and the APdevice sends a frame after the end of the TXOP to enable the STA deviceswitched to the Awake state to set the NAV, and the specific method isas follows.

Step 1601: After this TXOP ends and a T16 time interval passes, the APdevice sends a frame to each STA device, and the frame carries an NAV.The T16 time interval has multiple possible implementation manners,which for example, may be the SIFS or PIFS; the value of the NAV carriedby the frame has multiple possible implementation manners, which forexample, may be a zero value or only perform protection until the timewhen the frame ends; the frame has multiple possible implementationmanners, which for example, may be a CF_End frame in the prior art, andthe value of the NAV carried by the CF_End frame is a zero value; themoment occurring after this TXOP ends and a T16 time interval passes isa moment which is after the time when this TXOP ends, and the timeinterval between the moment and the time when this TXOP ends is T16.

Step 1602: After ending the Doze state and being switched to the Awakestate, each STA device maintaining the Doze state until this TXOP endsreceives a frame sent by the AP device after this TXOP ends and then aT16 time interval passes, and the frame sets its own NAV, therebyconforming to the condition 1 in step 1501; correspondingly after theframe ends, a transmission medium may be used. Particularly, when aframe sent by the AP device in step 1601 is a CF_End frame, each STAdevice understands the CF_End frame being received as an NAV beingreset, that is, at the time when the foregoing CF_End frame ends, eachSTA device resets its own NAV timer to zero.

In the foregoing steps 1601 and 1602, the CF_End frame may be adoptedonly for implementation, and the SIFS may be specified to be used forthe T16 time interval, and corresponding steps are as follows:

Step 1701: After this TXOP ends and an SIFS time interval passes, the APdevice sends a CF_End frame to each STA device, and the value of the NAVcarried in the CF_End frame is a zero value.

Step 1702: After ending the Doze state and being switched to the Awakestate, each STA device maintaining the Doze state until this TXOP endsreceives a CF_End frame sent by the AP device after this TXOP ends andthen an SIFS time interval passes, and the CF_End frame being receivedis understood as the NAV being reset, that is, at the time when theforegoing CF_End frame ends, each the STA device resets its own NAVtimer to zero; correspondingly, a transmission medium may be used.

In the foregoing embodiments, after entering a Doze state, an STA devicemaintains the Doze state until this TXOP ends. However, the embodimentsof the present invention are not limited to the foregoing implementationmanners; for example, if an STA device judges the STA device itself mayenter the Doze state according to the doze condition, the STA devicemaintains the Doze state until this TXOP ends; meanwhile, in a durationduring which the STA device maintains the Doze state, at several momentsspecified in advance, the STA device wakes up and maintains the Awakestate in a period of time, and then enters the Doze state again; or, ifan STA device judges the STA device itself may enter the Doze stateaccording to the doze condition, the STA device maintains the Doze stateuntil a moment before the end of this TXOP.

An embodiment is further provided as follows, and is recorded asembodiment 18.

Step 1801: In a current TXOP, each STA device judges whether the STAdevice itself may enter a Doze state. If an STA device judges that theSTA device itself may enter the Doze state, the STA device maintains theDoze state until a moment before the time when this TXOP ends, and isswitched to the Awake state at the moment. A time interval between thetime when the STA device ends the Doze state and is switched to theAwake state and the time when this TXOP ends is equal to a valuestipulated in advance by parties participating in communication, or iswithin a range stipulated in advance by parties participating incommunication. After being switched to the Awake state, the STA devicereceives a frame sent by the AP, then updates its own NAV settingaccording to the NAV carried by the frame sent by the AP, or updates itown NAV setting according to the L-SIG field of the frame sent by theAP, or determines whether the time when this TXOP ends is the same asthe end time of this TXOP set by the AP at the beginning of the TXOPaccording to at least one bit carried by the frame sent by the AP.

Within a time range between the time when the STA ends the Doze stateand is switched to the Awake state in step 1801 and the end time of thisTXOP, or within a time range after the time when the STA ends the Dozestate and is switched to the Awake state in step 1801 and a T18 timeinterval, or within a time range before the time when this TXOP ends,the AP device sends at least one frame to several STA devices, the framecarries an NAV to indicate the time when the TXOP ends, or the L-SIGfield of the frame carries a time indication provided for the STA deviceto update its own NAV setting, or the frame carries at least one bitused to indicate whether the time when this TXOP ends is the same as theend time of this TXOP set by the AP at the beginning of the TXOP. TheT18 time interval of this step has multiple possible implementationmanners, which for example, may be the SIFS or PIFS.

In the foregoing embodiment 18, further, at least one frame sent by theAP device within the time range to several STA devices must satisfy atleast one of the following four features: at least one frame sent by theAP device within the time range to several STA devices is not sent in abeamforming (beamforming) manner; an NAV carried in at least one framesent by the AP device within the time range to several STA devices isnot sent in a beamforming manner; in at least one frame sent by the APdevice within the time range to several STA devices, an L-SIG field ofthe frame is not sent in a beamforming manner; in at least one framesent by the AP device within the time range to several STA devices, atleast one bit carried by the frame used to indicate whether the timewhen this TXOP ends is the same as the end time of this TXOP set by anAP at beginning of the TXOP is not sent in a beamforming manner.

What is claimed is:
 1. A power save method, comprising: sending, by anaccess point (AP) device, multiple frames of a current transmitopportunity (TXOP) to a station (STA) device, to enable the STA deviceto determine whether to enter a doze state according to a judgmentresult for a doze condition when a TXOP power save indication of acurrent frame is power save allowed, wherein each frame comprises a TXOPpower save indication of the frame; wherein, in a same TXOP, a value ofa TXOP power save indication of the multiple frames is only allowed tochange once by conditionally performing one of: (a) if a TXOP power saveindication of a previous frame of the current frame is power saveforbidden, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame isallowed to be set to power save allowed; or (b) if a TXOP power saveindication of a previous frame of the current frame is power saveallowed, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame isdisallowed to be set to power save forbidden.
 2. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the value of the TXOP power save indication of themultiple frames is only allowed to change from a power save forbiddenindication to a power save allowed indication in the same TXOP.
 3. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein each frame further comprises anoperation object identifier of the frame.
 4. A power save method,comprising: receiving, by a station (STA) device, multiple frames of acurrent transmit opportunity (TXOP) from an access point (AP) device;and when a TXOP power save indication of a current frame is power saveallowed, determining, by the STA device, whether to enter a doze stateaccording to a judgment result for a doze condition, wherein each framecomprises a TXOP power save indication of the frame; wherein, in a sameTXOP, a value of a TXOP power save indication of the multiple frames isonly allowed to change once by conditionally performing one of: (a) if aTXOP power save indication of a previous frame of the current frame ispower save forbidden, the TXOP power save indication of the currentframe is allowed to be set to power save allowed; or (b) if a TXOP powersave indication of a previous frame of the current frame is power saveallowed, the TXOP power save indication of the current frame isdisallowed to be set to power save forbidden.
 5. The method according toclaim 4, wherein the value of the TXOP power save indication of themultiple frames is only allowed to change from a power save forbiddenindication to a power save allowed indication in the same TXOP.
 6. Themethod according to claim 4, wherein each frame further comprises anoperation object identifier of the frame.
 7. An access point (AP)device, comprising: a processor, configured to set a transmitopportunity (TXOP) power save indication of each frame; and atransmitter, configured to send multiple frames of a current TXOP to astation (STA) device, to enable the STA device to determine whether toenter a doze state according to a judgment result for a doze conditionwhen a TXOP power save indication of a current frame is power saveallowed; wherein, in a same TXOP, a value of a TXOP power saveindication of the multiple frames is only allowed to change once byconditionally performing one of: (a) if a TXOP power save indication ofa previous frame of the current frame is power save forbidden, the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame is allowed to be set to powersave allowed; or (b) if a TXOP power save indication of a previous frameof the current frame is power save allowed, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is disallowed to be set to power saveforbidden.
 8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the value of theTXOP power save indication of the multiple frames is only allowed tochange from a power save forbidden indication to a power save allowedindication in the same TXOP.
 9. The device according to claim 7, whereineach frame further comprises an operation object identifier of theframe.
 10. A station (STA) device, comprising: a receiver, configured toobtain multiple frames of a current transmit opportunity (TXOP) from anaccess point (AP) device, wherein each frame comprises a TXOP power saveindication of the frame; and a processor, configured to: when a TXOPpower save indication of a current frame is power save allowed,determine whether to enter a doze state according to a judgment resultfor a doze condition; wherein, in a same TXOP, a value of a TXOP powersave indication of the multiple frames is only allowed to change once byconditionally perform one of: (a) if a TXOP power save indication of aprevious frame of the current frame is power save forbidden, the TXOPpower save indication of the current frame is allowed to be set to powersave allowed; or (b) if a TXOP power save indication of a previous frameof the current frame is power save allowed, the TXOP power saveindication of the current frame is disallowed to be set to power saveforbidden.
 11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the value ofthe TXOP power save indication of the multiple frames is only allowed tochange from a power save forbidden indication to a power save allowedindication in the same TXOP.
 12. The device according to claim 10,wherein each frame further comprises an operation object identifier ofthe frame.